SIXEL to FAX Converter

Export terminal visuals to FAX format online for free

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Batch Support

Upload multiple SIXEL images and convert them all to FAX in one session — no need to repeat the process for each individual file.

Effortless Process

The SIXEL to FAX converter guides you through a clear upload-convert-download workflow — no technical expertise required.

No Install Required

The entire SIXEL to FAX conversion runs in your browser. No desktop software, no plugins — just upload and convert.

How to convert SIXEL to FAX

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

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

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

About formats

SIXEL (Six Pixel) is a bitmap graphics encoding format created by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) in 1983 for rendering images on character-cell printers and video terminals. The name derives from the encoding's fundamental unit: a column of six pixels represented by a single ASCII character. Each printable character in the sixel data stream (ASCII 63-126) encodes a 6-pixel vertical column, with the character's binary value determining which pixels are on or off. Color is specified through register-based palette control: a Select Color Sequence assigns an HLS or RGB color value to a numbered register, and subsequent sixel characters use that color until another register is selected. The encoding supports raster attributes for specifying pixel aspect ratio and image dimensions, repeat sequences (! followed by a count and character) for run-length compression of identical columns, and $ (carriage return) and - (new line) for navigating the sixel grid. DEC implemented SIXEL support in their VT240, VT241, VT330, and VT340 terminals, as well as multiple printer models. One advantage of the SIXEL encoding is its ASCII-clean nature: the data stream consists entirely of printable characters and standard control sequences, meaning SIXEL graphics can be transmitted through any text-based communication channel — serial terminals, SSH sessions, telnet connections — without requiring binary-safe transport or protocol modifications. The format's modern renaissance provides another remarkable dimension: after decades of obscurity, SIXEL support has been implemented in numerous contemporary terminal emulators, enabling inline image display in command-line workflows. SIXEL output can be generated by ImageMagick, libsixel, chafa, and various plotting libraries.

Developer: Digital Equipment Corporation

Initial release: 1983

FAX is a generic image file extension associated with facsimile transmission formats standardized by the ITU-T (formerly CCITT), with the underlying Group 3 compression standard ratified in 1980. FAX files typically contain monochrome (1-bit, black and white) image data compressed using the Modified Huffman (MH) encoding defined in ITU-T Recommendation T.4, which assigns variable-length codes to run lengths of consecutive white or black pixels along each scanline. The standard resolution for Group 3 fax is 204x98 dpi (normal mode) or 204x196 dpi (fine mode), reflecting the capabilities of thermal and laser fax machines of the era. FAX files encountered digitally are often raw Group 3 encoded bitstreams or TIFF wrappers with CCITT Group 3 compression (TIFF compression tag 3). The Group 3 encoding scheme is highly efficient for typical business documents — pages with mostly white space and black text — achieving compression ratios of 10:1 to 20:1 compared to uncompressed bitmaps. One advantage is universal fax system compatibility: Group 3 encoding is the mandatory baseline for all fax machines worldwide, meaning FAX files contain data in exactly the format transmitted over telephone lines, preserving the original fax data without transcoding losses. The format's role in business communications history provides another dimension — billions of fax transmissions using this encoding moved legal documents, medical records, and business correspondence for decades, and archived FAX files represent an important documentary record. FAX images can be viewed and converted using LibreOffice, ImageMagick, GIMP, and standard document management systems.

Developer: ITU-T

Initial release: 1980

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert SIXEL to FAX?

SIXEL graphics are designed for terminal display, not general use. Converting to FAX produces a portable image for sharing or editing.

What programs can open FAX?

Fax viewer software, IrfanView, and GIMP handle Group 3 fax images. Windows Fax and Scan can also display this format natively.

Will I lose image quality converting SIXEL to FAX?

FAX preserves image data without lossy compression, so the visual content from your SIXEL is retained faithfully during conversion.

How long does SIXEL to FAX conversion take?

Most SIXEL images convert to FAX within seconds. The exact time depends on the resolution and complexity of the source, but it is typically quick.

Can I queue several SIXEL files for conversion?

Absolutely. Add several SIXEL images at once, set FAX as the output, and the converter processes them all in parallel for maximum efficiency.

Related Conversions

SIXEL to JPG

SIXEL to BMP

SIXEL to DOC

SIXEL to DOCX

SIXEL to DOT

SIXEL to TIFF

SIXEL to JP2

SIXEL to WBMP

SIXEL to GIF

SIXEL to TGA

SIXEL to SVG

SIXEL to PNG

SIXEL to PCX

SIXEL to ICO

SIXEL to CUR

SIXEL to PBM

SIXEL to PGM

SIXEL to PPM

SIXEL to WEBP

SIXEL to JPEG

SIXEL to EXR

SIXEL to FAX

SIXEL to FTS

SIXEL to G3

SIXEL to HDR

SIXEL to HRZ

SIXEL to IPL

SIXEL to MAP

SIXEL to MNG

SIXEL to MTV

SIXEL to OTB

SIXEL to PAL

SIXEL to PALM

SIXEL to PAM

SIXEL to PCD

SIXEL to PCT

SIXEL to PDB

SIXEL to PFM

SIXEL to PICON

SIXEL to PICT

SIXEL to PNM

SIXEL to PSD

SIXEL to RAS

SIXEL to RGB

SIXEL to RGBA

SIXEL to RGBO

SIXEL to SGI

SIXEL to SUN

SIXEL to UYVY

SIXEL to VIFF

SIXEL to XBM

SIXEL to XPM

SIXEL to XV

SIXEL to XWD

SIXEL to YUV

SIXEL to JBG

SIXEL to JBIG

SIXEL to HEIC

SIXEL to HEIF

SIXEL to G4

Specific converters

PDF to FAX

JPG to FAX

PNG to FAX

DOCX to FAX

JPEG to FAX

XLSX to FAX

BMP to FAX

DOC to FAX

TXT to FAX

TIFF to FAX

XLS to FAX

HTML to FAX

ODT to FAX

XPS to FAX

WEBP to FAX

RTF to FAX

PICON to FAX

BIN to FAX

CSV to FAX

CUR to FAX

GIF to FAX

JPS to FAX

ABW to FAX

DBK to FAX

KWD to FAX

SXW to FAX

AW to FAX

3FR to FAX

ARW to FAX

AVIF to FAX