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SGI to AW Converter

Turn SGI images into AW documents for free online

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Format Bridge

Bridge the gap between SGI and modern formats. The converter handles the technical translation so you get a clean AW file.

No Installation

Everything happens in the browser. Open Convertio, upload your SGI file, and download the AW result — zero setup required.

Secure Processing

Your SGI files are deleted immediately after conversion. AW outputs are removed from servers within 24 hours — your images stay private.

How to convert SGI to AW

1

Select files from Computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, URL or by dragging it on the page.

2

Choose aw or any other format you need as a result (more than 200 formats supported)

3

Let the file convert and you can download your aw file right afterwards

About formats

SGI is the generic file extension for the Silicon Graphics Image format, also referred to by channel-specific extensions .rgb (3 channels), .rgba (4 channels), .bw (grayscale), and .int/.inta (16-bit variants). Developed by Silicon Graphics around 1986 for their IRIX operating system, the SGI format uses a 512-byte header followed by planar image data, where each color channel is stored as a complete plane rather than interleaved with other channels at each pixel. The header specifies a magic number (474), compression mode (0 for verbatim, 1 for RLE), bytes per channel (1 or 2), dimensionality (1 for scanline, 2 for image, 3 for multi-channel image), channel dimensions, pixel value range, and an 80-character image name. For RLE-compressed images, a table of offsets and lengths follows the header, allowing random access to individual scanlines without sequential decompression. Silicon Graphics workstations were the backbone of Hollywood visual effects, scientific visualization, flight simulation, and CAD/CAM industries throughout the 1990s, and the SGI format was the standard working format across these domains. One advantage is the format's robust design: the combination of scanline-addressable RLE compression, multi-channel support, 16-bit depth capability, and planar layout made it equally suitable for quick preview display and production rendering output. The format's association with the golden age of SGI-powered visual effects is another notable aspect — SGI files from this era represent production assets from landmark films and scientific visualizations. SGI images are supported by ImageMagick, GIMP, XnView, Photoshop (via plugin), and various 3D rendering and compositing applications.
Developer: Silicon Graphics
Initial release: 1986
AW is the document format of Applix Words, the word processor component of the Applix office suite (later renamed Anyware Office) developed by Applix, Inc. for Unix and Linux workstations. The suite targeted enterprise Unix environments during the 1990s, providing word processing, spreadsheet, graphics, and presentation capabilities on platforms like Solaris, HP-UX, AIX, and Linux where Microsoft Office was unavailable. AW files store formatted text documents with support for character and paragraph styling, page layout, tables, headers and footers, and embedded graphics. The format uses a proprietary binary structure optimized for the Applix application's internal document model. Applix Words gained particular visibility in the Linux community during the late 1990s when it was bundled with several commercial Linux distributions as their default word processor before OpenOffice.org became widely available. One advantage was native Unix platform support — Applix provided professional word processing capabilities on Unix workstations at a time when few commercial alternatives existed. The format's tight integration with other Applix suite components enabled cross-referencing between word processing documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Applix was acquired by Cognos in 2003, and the office suite was discontinued. AW files are primarily encountered today in archived documents from Unix enterprise environments of the 1990s and early 2000s.
Developer: Applix, Inc.
Initial release: 1992

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert SGI to AW?

SGI files come from specialized rendering environments. Converting to AW ensures your visual data is accessible in everyday applications.

What programs open AW files?

Applix Words and legacy Applix office suite. LibreOffice can import some AW files.

Can I convert multiple SGI files at once?

Yes — Convertio supports batch uploads. Queue several SGI files and convert them all to AW in one session, saving time on repetitive tasks.

Are my files secure during conversion?

All file transfers use encrypted connections. Uploaded SGI files are deleted after processing, and AW outputs are purged within 24 hours.

Do I need to install anything?

No — the entire conversion runs in your web browser. There is nothing to download or install on your computer or phone to convert SGI to AW.

Will the image quality change?

Image data is transferred faithfully from SGI to AW. The conversion itself does not degrade or enhance the original pixel information.