XWD to SUN Converter

Easily convert XWD to SUN image format in your browser

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

No Install Required

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

Secure Processing

Uploaded XWD images are erased right after conversion, and the resulting SUN files are purged within 24 hours — your data stays private.

Cross-Platform Access

Whether you are on a desktop, tablet, or phone — convert XWD to SUN from any device with a modern web browser.

How to convert XWD 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

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
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

Why convert XWD to SUN?

Few modern tools handle XWD natively. SUN provides raster format from Sun Microsystems workstations, making it widely recognized across operating systems and applications.

What programs open SUN files?

Open SUN using ImageMagick, GIMP, XnView, IrfanView. Cross-platform support means you can access these files on virtually any system.

What platforms support this XWD converter?

Convertio is entirely web-based. Convert XWD to SUN from Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, or any modern browser on any operating system.

Is XWD to SUN conversion free?

You can convert XWD to SUN for free on Convertio. Premium plans are available if you need higher throughput or larger file allowances.

Is my XWD file safe when converting online?

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