HEIC to PCX Converter
Convert HEIC to PCX in your browser. HEIC files usually come from iPhones and iPads since iOS 11, and many recent Android phones; PCX is the better fit for DOS-era software, retro games and old fax or scanner tools. You get a run-length encoded PCX: 8-bit indexed when the image has 256 colours or fewer, otherwise 24-bit RGB. Nothing is uploaded.
- Processed locally
- No upload, no wait
- No sign-up
- No watermark
Drop images here
or choose files · paste with Ctrl/⌘ V
HEIC expected · other image formats also work
How to use HEIC to PCX
- 1
Add your HEIC files: drop them here, choose them, or paste from the clipboard.
- 2
Pick the colour that replaces transparent areas, since PCX has none.
- 3
Click Convert. Each file is decoded and encoded in a background thread on this device.
- 4
Download the .pcx files one at a time or together as a ZIP.
Why use Aback Images for heic to pcx
Where the PCX goes next
PCX opens in GIMP, IrfanView, XnView, ImageMagick, Paint Shop Pro and DOSBox-era tools.
PCX next to HEIC
The PCX keeps the decoded pixels without lossy compression, so expect it to be larger than the HEIC.
No new artefacts
HEIC is already lossy, since it stores lossy HEVC (H.265) intra coding, on iPhones as a grid of 512×512 tiles; the PCX keeps the decoded pixels losslessly, so this step adds no compression damage of its own.
Processed on your device
Your images are decoded, edited and encoded inside this browser tab by Web Workers. Nothing is uploaded to a server.
HEIC vs PCX
What changes from HEIC to PCX
Encoding: the HEIC uses lossy HEVC (H.265) intra coding, on iPhones as a grid of 512×512 tiles; PCX uses byte-wise run-length encoding, and the download is a run-length encoded PCX: 8-bit indexed when the image has 256 colours or fewer, otherwise 24-bit RGB.
Bit depth: 8 or 10 bits per channel in the HEIC; PCX allows 1, 2, 4 or 8 bits per pixel with a palette, or 24-bit as three 8-bit planes, and the PCX written here has 8-bit indexed or 24-bit RGB. 10-bit HEIC photos are reduced to 8 bits per channel.
Colour: YCbCr, usually tagged Display P3 on iPhones in the HEIC; PCX supports a 16 or 256-colour palette, or 24-bit RGB, written here as 8-bit sRGB.
Transparency: the HEIC stores it as an auxiliary image item, rarely used by cameras; the PCX has none, so transparent areas are filled with the colour you choose.
Other images: the HEIC can hold a thumbnail, depth map, HDR gain map and burst shots as extra items; only the main image is converted.
Metadata: the HEIC can carry EXIF, XMP and an ICC profile, stored as items; PCX can carry only a 128-byte header with the resolution, but nothing is copied across.
About HEIC
HEIC is the default photo format on iPhones and many Android phones. It is about half the size of JPEG, but Windows, many websites and older software cannot open it without converting.
A HEIC is a HEIF file (ISO base media boxes with the brand 'heic'). iPhone photos store the picture as a grid of 512×512 HEVC tiles that the decoder stitches together, with the thumbnail, depth map and HDR gain map as further items.
HEIC files usually come from iPhones and iPads since iOS 11, and many recent Android phones.
About PCX
PCX is the image format of ZSoft's PC Paintbrush, the standard for DOS paint programs, scanners and games before GIF and BMP took over. It compresses with a simple run-length scheme.
A PCX file has a 128-byte header (the byte 0x0A, version, encoding, bits per pixel, image window, DPI, a 16-colour palette and the number of colour planes), then RLE-compressed scanlines; 256-colour files end with the byte 0x0C and a 768-byte palette.
When converting HEIC to PCX makes sense
PCX is the better choice for DOS-era software, retro games and old fax or scanner tools, while HEIC suits storing photos on Apple devices.
PCX strengths: Read by most legacy and modern viewers; Simple, lossless run-length compression. Drawbacks to weigh: Poor compression for photographs; No transparency; Obsolete outside retro software.
Limitations
- iPhone photos are usually Display P3; colours are mapped to sRGB, so very saturated reds and greens can look slightly less vivid.
- PCX's run-length compression suits flat-colour art; photographs barely shrink.
- Transparency is flattened onto the background colour, since PCX has no alpha channel.
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Frequently asked questions
Does converting HEIC to PCX lose quality?
PCX is written losslessly, so the pixels are stored exactly as decoded. Artefacts already in the HEIC stay, but nothing new is lost. 10-bit HEIC photos are reduced to 8 bits per channel. Not carried over: any a thumbnail.
What happens to transparency when converting HEIC to PCX?
HEIC stores transparency as an auxiliary image item, rarely used by cameras. PCX has no alpha channel, so transparent pixels are composited onto a solid colour, white unless you pick another. To keep transparency, convert to PNG, WebP or AVIF instead.
Why can't I open HEIC photos on Windows or websites?
HEIC uses the HEVC codec, which is patent-encumbered and not built into most browsers, Windows apps and upload forms. Converting makes the photo open where HEIC does not, and the HEIC is decoded inside your browser to do it.
Which apps open PCX files?
GIMP, IrfanView, XnView, ImageMagick, Paint Shop Pro and DOSBox-era tools. It does not open in web browsers.
Are my images uploaded anywhere?
No. Processing happens inside your browser with WebAssembly and Web Workers. The site only downloads the app code and codecs; your files never leave your device. You can confirm this with the live upload counter on the tool, or in your browser's network panel.
Can I process many files at once?
Yes. Drop a whole selection or folder. Files are processed in parallel on several worker threads, each result can be downloaded on its own, and everything can be saved as one ZIP.
Is it free? Is there a file limit or watermark?
It is free with no account, no watermark and no daily limit. The only limit is your device's memory: very large images (over roughly 100 megapixels) may be refused to keep the tab from crashing.