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WebP to PCX Converter

Convert WebP to PCX in your browser. WebP files usually come from websites, Chrome's Save image as, CDNs and Android apps; 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

WebP expected · other image formats also work

Files are processed on this device. Nothing is uploaded.0 B uploaded

How to use WebP to PCX

  1. 1

    Add your WebP files: drop them here, choose them, or paste from the clipboard.

  2. 2

    Pick the colour that replaces transparent areas, since PCX has none.

  3. 3

    Click Convert. Each file is decoded and encoded in a background thread on this device.

  4. 4

    Download the .pcx files one at a time or together as a ZIP.

Why use Aback Images for webp to pcx

Where the PCX goes next

PCX opens in GIMP, IrfanView, XnView, ImageMagick, Paint Shop Pro and DOSBox-era tools.

PCX next to WebP

The PCX keeps the decoded pixels without lossy compression, so expect it to be larger than the WebP.

No new artefacts

WebP is already lossy, since it stores lossy VP8 coding or lossless VP8L; 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.

WebP vs PCX

What changes from WebP to PCX

Encoding: the WebP uses lossy VP8 coding or lossless VP8L; 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 bits per channel in the WebP; 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: RGB; lossy WebP stores colour at half resolution (4:2:0) in the WebP; PCX supports a 16 or 256-colour palette, or 24-bit RGB, written here as 8-bit sRGB.

Transparency: the WebP stores it as a separate alpha plane, available in lossy as well as lossless files; the PCX has none, so transparent areas are filled with the colour you choose.

Animation: ANMF frame chunks, each with its own delay and blending; the PCX holds one image, so only the first frame is converted.

Metadata: the WebP can carry EXIF, XMP and ICC chunks; PCX can carry only a 128-byte header with the resolution, but nothing is copied across.

About WebP

WebP is Google's web image format. It supports lossy and lossless compression, transparency and animation, and is typically 25 to 35 percent smaller than JPEG at the same visual quality.

A WebP is a RIFF file: 'RIFF', a length, 'WEBP', then chunks. A simple lossy file is one VP8 chunk and a lossless one is VP8L; the extended VP8X header announces alpha, animation, ICC, EXIF or XMP chunks.

WebP files usually come from websites, Chrome's Save image as, CDNs and Android apps.

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 WebP to PCX makes sense

PCX is the better choice for DOS-era software, retro games and old fax or scanner tools, while WebP suits images on websites and in apps.

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

  • WebP images saved from websites are often already resized and compressed for the page, so the result cannot be sharper than that copy.
  • 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.

Frequently asked questions

Does converting WebP to PCX lose quality?

PCX is written losslessly, so the pixels are stored exactly as decoded. Artefacts already in the WebP stay, but nothing new is lost.

What happens to transparency when converting WebP to PCX?

WebP stores transparency as a separate alpha plane, available in lossy as well as lossless files. 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.

Will my animated WebP stay animated?

No. PCX holds a single image, so only the first frame is kept. Convert to animated WebP, APNG or GIF to keep the motion, or export every frame with the GIF Frame Extractor.

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.