How to convert PCT to PNG
- Add your .PCT file - drop it in the box above or click to browse.
- Convert it to .PNG in a few seconds.
- Download your new .PNG file.
What to expect
- Vector drawing commands in the PICT are flattened into a fixed-resolution raster and can no longer be re-scaled without quality loss.
- Raster content is preserved without lossy re-encoding, since PNG compression is lossless.
- Transparency is retained in the PNG where the source contains an alpha channel or mask.
Frequently asked questions
Does the image lose quality converting PCT to PNG?
PNG is a lossless raster format, so raster content in the PICT transfers pixel-for-pixel with no added compression loss. Any vector drawing commands in the PICT are rasterized to pixels at a fixed resolution during the process.
Why convert PCT to PNG?
PCT is an obsolete Apple format from 1984 that few modern applications can open. PNG is a universally supported raster format, so the conversion turns a legacy file into one that opens everywhere.
Where will the PNG open?
Every current operating system, web browser, and image editor reads PNG natively. Unlike the source PICT, no specialist viewer is needed.
What is lost when I convert PCT to PNG?
The main loss is vector scalability: PICT can store resolution-independent drawing commands, and these are flattened into a fixed-resolution bitmap that cannot be scaled up cleanly afterward.
