WMF to PCX Converter

WMF to PCX conversion — free, instant, online

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Legacy Compatible

Convert WMF to PCX for use in older software and scanning systems that rely on the PCX bitmap format.

Files Protected

All WMF uploads are deleted after processing. PCX downloads are removed from Convertio servers within 24 hours.

No Software Needed

Convert WMF to PCX entirely in your browser — nothing to install or configure on your machine.

How to convert WMF to PCX

1

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

2

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

3

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

About formats

WMF (Windows Metafile) is a vector graphics format created by Microsoft, introduced with Windows 3.0 in May 1990 as the platform's native format for recording and replaying graphical operations. A WMF file captures a sequence of GDI (Graphics Device Interface) drawing commands — lines, rectangles, ellipses, polygons, text, and bitmap blits — in the order they were issued, serializing screen or printer output into a replayable file. The format uses a 16-bit coordinate space and organizes records as a linear stream of function calls with their parameters, preceded by a header specifying the bounding rectangle and resolution. WMF became deeply integrated into the Windows ecosystem as the default format for clip art collections, Office document graphics, and clipboard vector interchange during the 1990s — Microsoft Office shipped with thousands of WMF clip art images that defined a visual era of desktop publishing. One advantage is pervasive compatibility: virtually every Windows application from the past three decades can render WMF content, making it one of the most widely supported vector formats in existence. The lightweight recording model is another strength — WMF files are compact and render quickly because they replay native system drawing calls rather than interpreting a complex graphics language. While 16-bit limitations and lack of transparency and Bezier curves led Microsoft to develop EMF as a 32-bit replacement, WMF files remain ubiquitous in legacy documents and across current Windows software.
Developer: Microsoft
Initial release: May 22, 1990
PCX (PiCture eXchange) is a raster image format created by ZSoft Corporation in 1985 as the native format of their PC Paintbrush application, one of the first painting programs for IBM PC compatibles. The format uses a simple run-length encoding (RLE) compression scheme that works by replacing consecutive identical pixel values with a count-value pair, achieving modest compression on images with large areas of uniform color. A PCX file consists of a 128-byte header (specifying dimensions, color depth, palette information, DPI, and encoding method), the RLE-compressed pixel data organized in scan-line order, and an optional 256-color palette appended after the image data. The format evolved through several versions supporting increasing color depths: 1-bit monochrome, 4-bit (16 colors), 8-bit (256 colors), and 24-bit true color using multiple color planes. PCX became one of the most popular image formats during the DOS era, widely supported by paint programs, word processors, desktop publishers, and early games throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s. One advantage was broad DOS-era software compatibility — PCX served as a practical interchange format when competing programs used proprietary raster formats. The simplicity of RLE decoding is another strength, requiring minimal CPU and memory resources ideal for the hardware of that period. While PNG, JPEG, and other modern formats have replaced PCX in contemporary use, the format remains encountered in legacy archives and retro computing contexts.
Developer: ZSoft Corporation
Initial release: 1985

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert WMF to PCX?

PCX is one of the earliest bitmap formats, still used in some legacy applications and scanning workflows. Converting WMF to PCX ensures compatibility.

What software reads PCX files?

IrfanView, XnView, GIMP, Photoshop, and older graphics tools like Paintbrush handle PCX files.

Is the quality good after conversion?

PCX uses RLE compression which is lossless. Your WMF graphic is rasterized to PCX without quality degradation.

Does this cost anything?

Basic conversion is free. Premium plans offer enhanced limits and faster processing speeds.

Can I batch-convert WMF to PCX?

Yes — upload multiple WMF files and Convertio will process them all to PCX in one batch.

How long does the conversion take?

Just seconds. Cloud-powered infrastructure ensures speedy WMF to PCX processing.