SVG to PCX Converter
Convert SVG to PCX in your browser. The SVG is sanitized and rendered at the pixel size you choose, so it is sharp at any resolution you ask for. 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
SVG expected · other image formats also work
How to use SVG to PCX
- 1
Add your SVG 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 svg to pcx
Where the PCX goes next
PCX opens in GIMP, IrfanView, XnView, ImageMagick, Paint Shop Pro and DOSBox-era tools.
PCX next to SVG
Rasterising turns a description of shapes into stored pixels, so the PCX is usually larger than a small SVG, and grows with the size you render at.
Written without a lossy pass
The PCX is written losslessly, so the pixels decoded from the SVG arrive unchanged.
Processed on your device
Your images are decoded, edited and encoded inside this browser tab by Web Workers. Nothing is uploaded to a server.
SVG vs PCX
What changes from SVG to PCX
Encoding: the SVG uses XML text describing paths, shapes and text, sometimes gzipped as .svgz; 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: not fixed: coordinates and colours are continuous values in the SVG; 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.
Colour: sRGB by default, other spaces through CSS colour functions in the SVG; PCX supports a 16 or 256-colour palette, or 24-bit RGB, written here as 8-bit sRGB.
Transparency: the SVG stores it as opacity on any element, with anti-aliased edges; the PCX has none, so transparent areas are filled with the colour you choose.
Animation: SMIL or CSS animation described in the markup; a single still rendering is converted.
Metadata: the SVG can carry title, description and RDF metadata elements; PCX can carry only a 128-byte header with the resolution, but nothing is copied across.
About SVG
SVG describes shapes, paths and text as XML instead of pixels, so it stays crisp at any size. It is the standard for logos, icons and illustrations on the web.
An SVG is an XML document: a root <svg> element with a viewBox, then paths, shapes, text, gradients and filters. It can also embed raster images and, dangerously, scripts, which is why untrusted SVG is sanitized before rendering here.
SVG files usually come from icon sets, logos, design tools (Figma, Illustrator, Inkscape) and diagram exports.
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 SVG to PCX makes sense
PCX is the better choice for DOS-era software, retro games and old fax or scanner tools, while SVG suits logos, icons and illustrations.
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
- Rasterising fixes the picture at one pixel size; set a larger size under More options if you need to print or zoom.
- Text that was not converted to outlines is drawn with the fonts on this device, so lettering can look different from the designer's screen.
- 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.
More conversions
Related tools
Convert PCX to SVG in your browser, traced into real vector paths. Batch, private, no uploads.
Convert SVG to JPG in your browser, rendered sharp at the size you choose. Batch, private, no uploads.
Convert SVG to PNG in your browser, rendered sharp at the size you choose. Batch, private, no uploads.
Shrink JPG, PNG, WebP, AVIF and GIF files with MozJPEG, OxiPNG and modern codecs, with a live before/after preview.
Resize to exact pixels, a percentage or a longest side, with Lanczos3 and Magic Kernel resampling. Batch ready.
Strip EXIF, GPS, XMP, IPTC and comments losslessly. Pixels are never re-encoded for JPG, PNG and WebP.
Convert between 34 image formats in bulk: HEIC, WebP, AVIF, JPEG XL, PNG, JPG, GIF, TIFF, SVG, ICO, PSD, RAW and more.
Frequently asked questions
Does converting SVG to PCX lose quality?
PCX is written losslessly, so the pixels are stored exactly as decoded.
What happens to transparency when converting SVG to PCX?
SVG stores transparency as opacity on any element, with anti-aliased edges. 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.
What resolution will the output be?
SVG has no fixed pixel size, so it is rendered at its declared width and height. Use the resize options to render it larger: because it is vector, an SVG stays perfectly sharp at any size you choose here. Files are sanitized first, so scripts and external references never run.
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.