Need help? Reach us at 
+1 (855) 418-2323
Need help? Reach us at
+1 (855) 418-2323
File Converters TIFF and PDF apps Forensic Freeware1) Upload PCX file to convert
Drop files here, or Click to select
2) Set converting PCX to PNG options
3) Get converted file
Total Image Converter
JPEG, TIFF, PSD, PNG, etc.Rotate ImagesResize ImagesRAW photosWatermarksClear interfaceCommand line💾 Upload Your File: Go to the site, click on «Upload File,» and select your PCX file.
✍️ Set Conversion Options: Choose PNG as the output format and adjust any additional options if needed.
Convert and Download: Click 👉«Download Converted File»👈 to get your PNG file.
| File extension | .PCX |
| Category | Image File |
| Description | PCX is mostly used in IBM PC-compatible systems. The most popular format version is 5th, VGA palette is supported in 3rd and later versions that do not support individually created palettes. The maximum size is 64k x 64k pixels. PCS supports RGB mode, indexed raster colors, grayscale colors, as well as alpha-channels. The depth of image in PCX can be 1, 4, 8 or 24 bit. Complex compression scheme actually can increase the file size and is not suitable for deep-pixel graphics. |
| Associated programs | Adobe Photoshop Microsoft Paint Windows Picture and Fax Viewer |
| Developed by | ZSoft Corporation |
| MIME type | image/x-pcx |
| Useful links | More detailed information on PCX files |
| Conversion type | PCX to PNG |
| File extension | .PNG |
| Category | Image File |
| Description | PNG images provide lossless compression, that is why the quality of the picture is nice, but the size of the file is huge. Because of it this file format is used by photographers. PNG may have several layers of transparency and even include short text descriptions which help search engines to examine the file. Although PNG was developed to replace GIF and partly other formats, it doesn’t support animation since it can’t contain several images like GIF. |
| Associated programs | Apple Preview Corel Paint Shop Pro GIMP - The GNU Image Manipulation Program (LINUX) Microsoft Windows Photo Gallery Viewer Safari |
| Developed by | PNG Development Group |
| MIME type | image/png |
| Useful links | More detailed information on PNG files |
2026-01-172026-03-30
2026-05-12
PCX is a bitmap format from the 1980s PC Paintbrush era that few modern applications open natively. Converting PCX to PNG brings these legacy images into a universally supported lossless format — preserving every pixel exactly while making the file openable in any browser, editor, or document tool without legacy software.
PCX (PC Paintbrush eXchange) was developed by ZSoft Corporation in 1985 for their PC Paintbrush application. It was the dominant bitmap format on MS-DOS and early Windows systems throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, widely used in desktop publishing, DOS games, early scanners, and medical imaging software. PCX uses run-length encoding (RLE) compression and supports 1-bit monochrome, 4-bit (16 color), 8-bit (256 color palette), and 24-bit true color variants. The format was effectively replaced by PNG and TIFF by the late 1990s, but PCX files survive in DOS game archives, scanned document collections, and legacy medical imaging systems.
PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is the modern lossless raster format designed as an open, patent-free successor to GIF. It supports 1-bit to 48-bit color depths, an 8-bit alpha transparency channel, and DEFLATE lossless compression. PNG is universally supported by all web browsers, operating systems, image editors, and document tools. Converting PCX to PNG makes legacy bitmap images accessible without PCX-capable viewers while preserving every pixel from the original.
PCX palette-based images (1-bit, 4-bit, 8-bit) are correctly expanded to their full color representation in the PNG output. 24-bit PCX files convert directly to 24-bit PNG with no color loss. The RLE compression in PCX is decoded losslessly — every pixel in the PNG matches the PCX source exactly.
| Feature | PCX | PNG |
|---|---|---|
| Era | DOS/Windows 3.x (1985–1998) | Modern (1996–present) |
| Compression | RLE (run-length encoding) | DEFLATE (lossless) |
| Color depth | 1, 4, 8, 24-bit | 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, 48-bit |
| Transparency | No | Yes (alpha channel) |
| Browser support | None | Universal |
| OS viewer support | Rare (legacy apps only) | Universal |
| Compression ratio | Modest (RLE only) | Better (DEFLATE) |
| Metadata | Minimal (resolution in header) | Rich (ICC, DPI, text chunks) |
The online converter handles individual PCX files. For bulk recovery of PCX image archives — DOS game asset libraries, legacy scan collections, or medical imaging archives — Total Image Converter (Windows, $29.90) processes entire directories at once:
