How to convert JPG to XPM
- Add your .JPG file - drop it in the box above or click to browse.
- Convert it to .XPM in a few seconds.
- Download your new .XPM file.
What to expect
- XPM uses an indexed color palette, so a full-color photo loses color fidelity in the conversion.
- It is a text-based icon format; converting a photograph produces a large, impractical file.
- Exif metadata is not preserved, and the format is intended for small X11 graphics rather than general images.
Frequently asked questions
Is XPM suitable for a full photo?
Not really. XPM is a plain-text, indexed-color format built for small icons in X11 desktop environments. Converting a color photo forces it into a limited palette and produces a bulky text file, so it fits icons and simple graphics far better than photographs.
Why convert a JPG to XPM?
The usual reason is to embed a small image as source in Linux/Unix X11 applications, since an XPM is essentially a C-style text array that programs can include directly.
What opens an XPM file?
On Windows, GIMP, IrfanView, and XnView open XPM; on Linux, GIMP and ImageMagick handle it. Because it is text-based, you can even inspect it in a plain editor.
Does the image quality suffer?
For anything beyond simple graphics, yes. XPM's indexed color reduces the number of distinct colors, so a photo's smooth gradients are approximated and detail is lost on top of the JPEG's existing artifacts.
Programs that convert JPG: GIMP · PolyTrans|CAD+DCC · GIMP for Mac · GIMP for Linux · XnConvert · Picture Resize Free Online Images Converter
