CUR to PNG Converter

You have a Windows cursor file and want to see it, edit it or reuse the artwork. A .cur file is a tiny picture with a hot spot attached, and most image programs will not open it. This converter reads the image your browser shows for the cursor and saves it as a PNG with its see-through edges intact.

Drop images here, click to choose, or paste with Ctrl+V
CUR files · many files at once · nothing is uploaded
Embed this tool on your websiteShow code

Free to use on any site. Paste the code where you want the tool to appear. It runs inside the page; visitors' files are processed in their own browser and are not uploaded.

Open the embed in a new tab

WordPress and most site builders have a "Custom HTML" block where this code can be pasted. The embed keeps a small link back to CalcMaster.

How to convert CUR to PNG

  1. Add your CUR files by dropping them, clicking the drop zone or pasting.
  2. The output format is already set to PNG. Adjust quality or size if you need to.
  3. Press Convert and compare the original and new size for each file.
  4. Download each file or all of them as a ZIP.

When to convert, and when not to

  • You want to preview or edit cursor artwork in an ordinary image editor.
  • You need a PNG of a pointer for a document, a tutorial or a design mock-up.
  • You are collecting cursor sets and want a thumbnail picture of each one.
  • Do not expect a working cursor from the result: a PNG cannot carry the hot spot or be installed as a pointer.

What changes

  • The picture is saved as PNG, which keeps transparent areas so the pointer shape has clean edges.
  • The hot spot, the exact pixel that counts as the click point, is not stored in a PNG and is lost.
  • If you choose JPG or another format without transparency, the see-through parts are filled with the background colour you pick.
  • The tool converts the image your browser reads from the file, so a cursor that holds several sizes gives you one of them.
  • Cursor files are small, so you can drop a whole folder and download the PNGs as a ZIP.

What a cursor file contains

A .cur file is built like an icon file. It holds one or more small pictures plus a pair of numbers that mark the hot spot, the pixel that registers when you click. The pictures usually have transparent areas so the pointer can take any shape, such as an arrow, a hand or a pen.

Image editors rarely list the extension as something they can open, which is why people go looking for a converter. What they need in most cases is simply the picture, and that is what this tool gives you.

Why PNG is the natural target

Cursor artwork depends on transparency. A PNG stores it exactly, so the converted picture drops onto any background without a box around it. JPG cannot store transparency at all, so the pointer would sit inside a coloured rectangle, and that is only useful if you pick the colour on purpose.

Because cursors are tiny, you may want to enlarge the result for a tutorial or a slide. Use the resize option for that. Scaling a small picture up makes edges look soft, since no new detail is created, so a moderate size works better than a very large one.

Limits to know about

The tool reads whichever picture your browser decodes from the file. If a cursor set holds several sizes or colour depths, you cannot choose between them here. Animated cursors with the .ani extension are a different format and are not covered by this page. If you need to rebuild a working cursor, you will need cursor-making software after editing the PNG.

Privacy: your files stay on your device

  • The tool decodes, resizes and encodes your pictures with your browser. The files are never sent to a server.
  • To check it yourself: open the browser developer tools (F12), open the Network tab, convert a file, and look for any request that carries your image. You will see none.

Frequently asked questions

Does the PNG keep the hot spot?

No. PNG has no place for it. Only the picture is saved.

Will the transparent edges survive?

Yes, when the output is PNG or WebP. JPG and BMP cannot hold transparency, so they use a background colour.

Can I turn the PNG back into a cursor?

Not with this tool. You would need cursor-editing software that lets you set the hot spot.

What about animated .ani cursors?

They are a different format and are not supported on this page.

Why does my enlarged picture look blurry?

Cursors are very small. Making them bigger cannot add detail, so edges look softer.

Is the file uploaded?

No. The conversion runs in this browser tab on your own device.

Related converters