XCF to PALM Converter

Change XCF to PALM format — free conversion online

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Convertio removes uploaded XCF files right after processing and purges PALM results within 24 hours. Your data does not linger on servers.

Effortless Conversion

The converter handles everything automatically. Just upload your XCF image, pick PALM, and the file is ready in moments.

Straightforward Steps

No technical knowledge required. Upload your XCF image, choose PALM output, and download — clear, guided, and intuitive.

How to convert XCF to PALM

1

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

2

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

3

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

About formats

XCF (eXperimental Computing Facility) is the native file format of GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program), named after the computing facility at UC Berkeley where Spencer Kimball and Peter Mattis originally developed GIMP as a student project, with the format introduced alongside GIMP 1.0 in 1998. XCF stores the complete editing state of a GIMP project: all layers with their positions, dimensions, opacity, and blending modes; layer masks; channels (including custom alpha channels); paths (vector shapes stored as Bezier curves); parasites (arbitrary named data attached to the image or individual layers); and the image's color profile, resolution, guides, and grid settings. The format supports 8-bit, 16-bit, and 32-bit floating-point precision per channel in RGB, grayscale, and indexed color modes, and uses a tile-based internal structure where the image is divided into 64x64 pixel tiles that are individually RLE-compressed. Each layer in an XCF file is stored independently with its own dimensions (layers can be larger or smaller than the canvas), enabling non-destructive editing workflows where source material is preserved at full resolution. One advantage is complete state preservation: XCF files save everything needed to resume editing exactly where you left off — every layer, mask, path, and setting — making them the essential working format for any multi-session GIMP project. The format's open specification is another strength: the XCF structure is fully documented and readable by GIMP, XnView, ImageMagick, and various programming libraries, ensuring project files remain accessible without vendor lock-in.
Initial release: 1998
PALM is a bitmap image format used by the Palm OS operating system, introduced in 1996 with the original Palm Pilot 1000. Palm bitmap files store raster images in formats optimized for the extremely constrained hardware of early Palm handheld devices — the original models featured a 160x160 pixel monochrome (2-shade) display, 128 KB of RAM, and a 16 MHz Motorola 68328 processor. The format evolved through several versions as Palm hardware improved: PalmOS 1.0 supported 1-bit monochrome, later versions added 2-bit (4 shade grayscale), 4-bit (16 shade), 8-bit (256 color), and eventually 16-bit (65536 color) direct color modes. Palm bitmaps use a simple header specifying width, height, row bytes, flags, and bit depth, followed by the pixel data which may use optional Scanline compression (a PackBits-like run-length encoding) or dense packing. The format also supports bitmap families — multiple versions of the same image at different bit depths bundled together, allowing the OS to select the best version for the current device's display capabilities. One advantage is the format's documentation of early mobile computing: Palm OS was the dominant handheld platform of the late 1990s and early 2000s, and Palm bitmap files from applications, games, and content of that era represent important artifacts of mobile computing history. The multi-depth bitmap family feature provides another notable design strength — a single resource could serve devices ranging from monochrome Palm Pilots to the 16-bit color Sony CLIE and Palm Tungsten. PALM bitmaps are supported by ImageMagick, pilot-link utilities, and Palm emulator tools.
Developer: Palm, Inc.
Initial release: 1996

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert XCF to PALM?

XCF files require GIMP to open. Converting to PALM lets you share your artwork with anyone, regardless of what software they have installed.

What programs open PALM files?

Palm OS devices and emulators, GIMP, and retro computing tools for PalmPilot-era applications.

What platforms are supported?

Any device with a web browser — Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and Chrome OS. No software installation is needed for the conversion.

Is the original resolution preserved?

Yes — the pixel dimensions of your XCF image are maintained in the PALM output. No downscaling or cropping happens during conversion.

Will the image quality change?

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

Do I need to pay for this converter?

Basic XCF to PALM conversions are free. Convertio offers premium tiers for heavier workloads with faster processing and priority support.