PCX to JPG Converter
A folder of old scans, clip art or screenshots from an older DOS or Windows program is full of PCX files, and today's photo viewers, phones and upload forms often refuse them. This converter reads the PCX on your own device and writes a JPG that opens almost everywhere, without sending the file anywhere.
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.
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 PCX to JPG
- Add your PCX files by dropping them, clicking the drop zone or pasting.
- The output format is already set to JPG. Adjust quality or size if you need to.
- Press Convert and compare the original and new size for each file.
- Download each file or all of them as a ZIP.
When to convert, and when not to
- A modern app, website or phone cannot display your .pcx file.
- You are archiving old scans or clip art and want files that future software will still open.
- You need to attach a picture to an email or document, and JPG is the type everyone accepts.
- Do not convert line art or icons you plan to keep editing. JPG softens sharp edges, so keep the PCX or choose PNG instead.
What changes
- The tool reads run-length compressed PCX files and files stored as 8-bit colour planes.
- Paletted PCX images are expanded to full colour using the palette stored inside the file.
- JPG is lossy, so flat colour areas and thin lines can pick up slight blur or specks around edges. Raise the quality slider if the picture matters.
- Most PCX files are fully opaque; if any part is see-through, the background colour you choose fills it.
- Header details such as the stored print resolution are not carried into the JPG.
What a PCX file is, and why it will not open
PCX is a raster format from the early days of paint programs on personal computers. It stores the picture as rows of pixels and squeezes repeated values with run-length encoding, which works well for drawings with large flat areas and poorly for photographs.
Modern phones, browsers and many photo viewers dropped support for it long ago, which is why a perfectly healthy PCX file can show up as a blank icon or an upload error. Nothing is wrong with the file. It simply uses a container that current software no longer reads, and a conversion gives the same picture in a container that it does.
How the tool reads paletted PCX files
Many PCX images do not store a colour for every pixel. Instead each pixel holds a number, and a palette kept in the file says which colour that number means. The converter looks up every number in that palette, builds a full-colour picture, and only then writes the JPG.
Other PCX files keep their colour in separate planes, one for each of red, green and blue, with eight bits per plane. The converter merges the planes back into ordinary pixels. In both cases you do not choose anything: the file tells the tool how it was stored.
JPG or PNG for old graphics?
Photographs and scans of photographs suit JPG well, because the lossy compression hides its work in natural texture. Screenshots, diagrams, cartoons and clip art are different. Hard edges next to flat colour are exactly where JPG leaves faint ringing, so a PNG is often the cleaner choice for those.
You can switch the output format in the options at any time. A quick way to decide is to convert one file both ways and compare how the edges look at full size, then run the whole batch with the winner.
Odd sizes and tiny files
Many PCX files are small and come from long ago, so they may have unusual dimensions. The converter keeps the picture's own size unless you pick a resize option, which means a tiny icon stays tiny rather than being stretched into a blur.
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
Why does my PCX file not open on my phone or in my browser?
Current phones and browsers do not include a PCX reader. The file is fine, but the software needs a different container, which is what this conversion provides.
Which kinds of PCX files can this tool read?
Run-length compressed files, files stored as 8-bit colour planes, and paletted images. A file that uses some other layout shows a clear error instead of a broken picture.
Will old clip art look worse as a JPG?
It can. Sharp lines and flat colours may get slight blur. Try the output set to PNG for graphics and keep JPG for photographs.
Can I convert a whole folder of PCX files?
Yes. Add them together, press Convert, and download each result or a ZIP. They are processed one after the other.
Is anything uploaded?
No. Decoding and encoding happen in your browser tab, and the file stays on your device.