XPM to SUN Converter

Seamless XPM to SUN image conversion, done in the cloud

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Simple Interface

Three steps to convert: upload your XPM, select SUN, and download. The clean interface makes the process intuitive even for first-time users.

No Install Required

The entire XPM to SUN conversion happens in your browser. No plugins, no desktop apps — just upload, convert, and download.

Modern Format Output

SUN provides raster format from Sun Microsystems workstations — a significant upgrade over the legacy XPM format for everyday image use and sharing.

How to convert XPM to SUN

1

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

2

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

3

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

About formats

XPM (X PixMap) is a color image format for the X Window System, developed by Arnaud Le Hors at GROUPE BULL beginning in 1989 as the color successor to the monochrome XBM format. Like XBM, XPM files are valid C source code — each file defines the image as a static array of character strings, where the header strings specify width, height, number of colors, and characters per pixel, the color definition strings map character codes to color values (supporting X11 color names, hexadecimal RGB, and symbolic color types like 'background' and 'foreground'), and the pixel strings encode each row as a sequence of character codes that index the color palette. This ASCII art representation makes XPM images human-readable: one can often see the image content directly in the text of the source file. The format went through three revisions: XPM1 (1989, compatible with X10), XPM2 (simplified syntax), and XPM3 (1991, the current version with the static char* syntax and extended color specification). XPM was the standard format for X Window application icons, splash screens, pixmap buttons, and themed UI elements throughout the 1990s and 2000s. One advantage is the combined benefits of being a valid C source file and a color image: XPM files can be compiled into applications, edited in any text editor, processed by text tools, and version-controlled, while supporting up to 256 colors with transparency (using the 'None' color keyword). The X11 ecosystem's reliance on XPM ensures broad tool support. XPM files are handled by all X11 toolkits, ImageMagick, GIMP, and web browsers (legacy support).
Initial release: 1989
SUN is a raster image format associated with Sun Microsystems workstations, encompassing both the Sun Raster format (.ras) and the Sun Icon format used for window system icons and cursors on SunOS and Solaris systems. Sun Raster files, identifiable by their 0x59a66a95 magic number, store bitmap images in 1-bit monochrome, 8-bit indexed color, 24-bit BGR, or 32-bit XBGR modes, with optional run-length encoding compression and a 32-byte header. The Sun Icon subset is a simpler text-based format used for small monochrome bitmaps — window icons, cursor images, and toolbar graphics — stored as C-language data arrays that could be directly compiled into X Window and SunView applications. These icon files begin with a comment block specifying width, height, and optionally hot spot coordinates (for cursor images), followed by hexadecimal pixel values in a format readable by both the C compiler and the iconedit tool. Sun workstations running SunOS and later Solaris were foundational platforms for Unix computing, networking, and the early internet, and the SUN image formats were integral to their graphical environments. One advantage is the format's dual text/binary nature: Sun Icons are valid C source code that can be #included directly into applications, a practical approach to resource embedding that predates modern asset management systems. The Sun Raster variant's simplicity provides another strength — the 32-byte header and straightforward encoding make it one of the easiest binary image formats to parse. SUN format files are supported by ImageMagick, GIMP, XnView, and Unix image viewing tools.
Developer: Sun Microsystems
Initial release: 1982

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the reason to convert XPM to SUN?

XPM is tied to X11/Linux desktops. Switching to SUN gives you raster format from Sun Microsystems workstations and broad support across platforms, browsers, and devices.

How do I open a SUN file?

Software that handles SUN includes ImageMagick, GIMP, XnView, IrfanView — giving you options on every major operating system.

Does converting XPM to SUN affect quality?

The conversion preserves the visual content of your XPM image. SUN will reproduce the same pixel data within the limits of its format capabilities.

Is my XPM file safe when converting online?

Convertio takes privacy seriously — your XPM uploads are deleted after conversion and the SUN results are cleared within 24 hours.

How long does XPM to SUN conversion take?

Usually just seconds. XPM files are typically small, so the upload, conversion, and download process finishes very quickly on Convertio.

What exactly is the XPM format?

The XPM format is a color pixmap format for X Window System, rooted in X11/Linux desktops. Modern software rarely supports it natively, making conversion essential.