XWD to UYVY Converter

Migrate XWD bitmaps to UYVY format online and for free

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Cloud Conversion

All XWD to UYVY processing runs on Convertio servers — your device stays fast and free while the conversion happens in the cloud.

Any Device Works

Convert XWD to UYVY from Windows, macOS, Linux, or mobile — the browser-based tool adapts to any screen size and operating system.

Modern Format Output

UYVY provides raw YUV pixel data in UYVY ordering — a significant upgrade over the legacy XWD format for everyday image use and sharing.

How to convert XWD to UYVY

1

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

2

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

3

Let the file convert and you can download your uyvy 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
UYVY is a packed pixel format for storing images and video frames in YUV 4:2:2 chroma-subsampled color space, with the UYVY designation indicating the byte ordering within each 4-byte macropixel: U (Cb), Y0, V (Cr), Y1. Each macropixel encodes two horizontal pixels sharing a single pair of chrominance samples (U and V) but retaining individual luminance values (Y0 and Y1), achieving 2:1 horizontal chroma subsampling that reduces data size by 33% compared to full 4:4:4 YUV while maintaining full luminance resolution. The UYVY ordering is specified as a FOURCC code in Microsoft's Video for Windows and DirectShow frameworks, and is commonly used in professional video capture cards, broadcast equipment, and video processing pipelines. UYVY raw files contain no header — the pixel data is a flat sequence of U,Y,V,Y byte quadruplets, requiring external specification of image dimensions. The 4:2:2 subsampling exploits the human visual system's lower spatial resolution for color compared to brightness: the eye notices luminance detail at much higher spatial frequencies than chrominance detail, so sharing color samples between adjacent pixels produces no visible quality loss in practice. One advantage is broadcast-standard compatibility: UYVY's 4:2:2 sampling matches the chrominance structure used in professional video standards (ITU-R BT.601, SDI), making it the natural format for video capture hardware and frame-accurate processing. The format's efficient memory layout is another strength — the packed byte arrangement enables fast DMA transfers between capture hardware and system memory. UYVY data is handled by FFmpeg, ImageMagick, and professional video capture/editing software.
Developer: ITU-T / Microsoft
Initial release: 1982

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert XWD to UYVY?

XWD is tied to Unix/X11 screenshots. Switching to UYVY gives you raw YUV pixel data in UYVY ordering and broad support across platforms, browsers, and devices.

How do I open a UYVY file?

Software that handles UYVY includes ImageMagick, FFmpeg, raw image viewers — giving you options on every major operating system.

Is XWD to UYVY conversion free?

Yes — Convertio offers free XWD to UYVY conversion. Premium options exist for users who need more capacity or faster processing speeds.

What platforms support this XWD converter?

Since it runs in the browser, any operating system works — desktop or mobile. No platform-specific software is needed to convert XWD to UYVY.

Can I convert multiple XWD files to UYVY at once?

Convertio supports batch mode — drag in multiple XWD files and they all convert to UYVY together, which is much faster than one-by-one.

Does converting XWD to UYVY affect quality?

Your image content stays intact during conversion. Any differences depend on UYVY characteristics — such as color depth or compression method.