XWD to HDR Converter

XWD to HDR conversion — modern image format in seconds

Drop files here. 1 GB maximum file size or Sign Up
to
Facebook Amazon Microsoft Tesla Nestle Walmart L'Oreal

Reliable Conversion

Convertio handles the XWD to HDR transformation accurately, preserving your image content while delivering a widely compatible output.

Modern Format Output

HDR provides high dynamic range image for lighting simulation — a significant upgrade over the legacy XWD format for everyday image use and sharing.

Privacy Protected

Your XWD files are deleted immediately after conversion to HDR. Converted files are automatically removed from servers within 24 hours.

How to convert XWD to HDR

1

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

2

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

3

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

About formats

XWD (X Window Dump) is a screen capture image format defined as part of the X Window System by the MIT X Consortium, dating to approximately 1987. The xwd command-line utility captures the contents of an X window or the entire screen and saves it as an XWD file — functionally equivalent to a screenshot utility but predating the concept by years. XWD files contain a detailed header specifying the X server's visual type, bit depth, byte order, bitmap unit and padding, the window's dimensions, border width, and color map information, followed by the raw pixel data exactly as represented in the X server's framebuffer. This means XWD files faithfully capture the exact pixel representation used by the display hardware — including server-specific byte ordering, padding, and color organization — making them primarily useful on the system where they were captured or on systems with compatible display configurations. The header also stores the window name string and the full color map entries for indexed-color visuals. XWD supports all X11 visual types: StaticGray, GrayScale, StaticColor, PseudoColor, TrueColor, and DirectColor, at any bit depth supported by the X server. One advantage is exact framebuffer fidelity: XWD captures the window's pixel data in its native format without any color space conversion or compression, making it the definitive record of what the X server was actually displaying. The format's integration with the X11 command-line toolkit provides another practical benefit — xwd can capture specific windows by ID or name, be triggered remotely via SSH, and piped directly to format converters. XWD files are handled by ImageMagick, GIMP, xwud (the viewer companion to xwd), and xv.
Developer: MIT X Consortium
Initial release: 1987
HDR (also known as RGBE or Radiance HDR) is a high-dynamic-range image format created by Greg Ward Larson as part of the Radiance) lighting simulation system, developed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory starting in 1985 with the HDR format emerging around 1989. The format stores floating-point RGB pixel values using a compact 32-bit-per-pixel encoding called RGBE (Red, Green, Blue, Exponent): three 8-bit mantissa bytes share a single 8-bit exponent, representing luminance values across a range of roughly 76 orders of magnitude while keeping file sizes comparable to standard 24-bit images. HDR files begin with a text header containing rendering and exposure metadata, followed by the RGBE pixel data compressed with a scanline-oriented run-length encoding scheme. The format captures the full luminance range of real-world scenes — from deep shadows to direct sunlight — enabling physically accurate lighting calculations, tone mapping to different display conditions, and post-capture exposure adjustment without the clipping artifacts inherent in 8-bit formats. One advantage is the format's foundational role in HDR imaging: Radiance HDR pioneered the concept of storing real-world luminance values in image files, and the .hdr format became the standard for light probe images and environment maps used in image-based lighting across the 3D rendering industry. The format's compact encoding is another practical strength — the RGBE scheme provides far more dynamic range than 8-bit formats while using only 33% more storage per pixel, a favorable tradeoff that made HDR practical on storage-limited systems of the late 1980s. HDR files are supported by Photoshop, GIMP, ImageMagick, Blender, and all major 3D renderers.
Developer: Greg Ward Larson
Initial release: 1989

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert XWD to HDR?

Few modern tools handle XWD natively. HDR provides high dynamic range image for lighting simulation, making it widely recognized across operating systems and applications.

What programs open HDR files?

Open HDR using Photoshop, GIMP, HDRShop, Luminance HDR, Blender. Cross-platform support means you can access these files on virtually any system.

What exactly is the XWD format?

XWD (screen capture format from X Window System) originated in Unix/X11 screenshots. It has very limited modern application support but can be converted to modern formats on Convertio.

Is XWD to HDR conversion free?

Standard conversions are available for free on Convertio. Larger volumes or higher usage may benefit from a premium plan for additional capacity.

Does this converter work on mobile devices?

It works on any device with a web browser. Whether you are on Android, iOS, Windows, or macOS — XWD to HDR conversion is fully supported.

How long does XWD to HDR conversion take?

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