Convert PNG to BMP
BMP is the uncompressed bitmap format that older Windows software, embedded systems and some industrial tools still expect. This converter turns a PNG into a standard 24-bit BMP on your device, with nothing uploaded.
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Results
How to convert PNG to BMP
- Drop one or many PNG images into the tool below.
- The output format is already set to BMP. Adjust the quality if you like.
- Click run to convert.
- Download each BMP, or grab them all as a ZIP.
What BMP is for
The Windows Bitmap format is one of the oldest image formats still in everyday use. It has no compression in its common form, no support for animation and only limited transparency support. Those limitations are exactly why it survives: a BMP is trivially easy for a program to read, because the pixel data is right there in a predictable order with no decoder required. Embedded devices with tiny amounts of memory, industrial machines, old Windows applications and hobbyist hardware all continue to rely on it.
What happens during conversion
The PNG is decoded to its pixel values and written out as a 24-bit BMP: 8 bits each for red, green and blue per pixel, rows padded to 4-byte boundaries, stored bottom-up, as the format requires. This is the variant that virtually every BMP reader understands. Any transparency in the PNG is flattened onto white, because most BMP readers ignore or mishandle an alpha channel.
| Property | PNG | BMP (24-bit) |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossless (DEFLATE) | None |
| Transparency | Full alpha | Not in 24-bit |
| File size, 1,000 × 1,000 photo | ~1.5 MB | ~3 MB, always |
| Read by legacy hardware | Rarely | Very widely |
| Read by modern browsers | Yes | Yes, but rarely used |
Typical situations
- Preparing a logo or splash screen for a device firmware that only loads BMP.
- Feeding an image into older label design, engraving or embroidery software.
- Supplying textures or sprites to a legacy game engine or modding tool.
- Creating a Windows wallpaper or boot image for an older system.
- Exporting a test pattern for a display controller.
Practical advice
Because BMP does not compress, large images make very large files. Resize to the exact dimensions the target device needs before converting; a 128 by 64 pixel splash screen should be 128 by 64 pixels, not a 2,000 pixel image the device then has to scale. If the destination is unsure about colour depth, 24-bit is the safest choice, which is what this converter produces. If your hardware documentation specifies 8-bit indexed or 16-bit BMP, you will need a specialised tool for that, and the 24-bit file from here is a good starting point.
Frequently asked questions
Why would anyone need BMP today?
Legacy Windows applications, firmware and device screens, some label printers, older CNC and embroidery software, and certain scientific tools still read BMP and nothing else.
Does BMP support transparency?
The common 24-bit BMP produced here does not. Transparent areas from the PNG are flattened onto white. Some programs accept 32-bit BMP with alpha, but support is inconsistent, so 24-bit is the safe output.
Why is the BMP so large?
BMP stores every pixel uncompressed at three bytes per pixel. A 1,000 by 1,000 image is about 3 MB regardless of content. That is by design; it is meant to be simple to read, not small.
Is any quality lost?
No. BMP is uncompressed, so the pixels are exactly those of the PNG.
Your files never leave your device
Every tool on Squishly Tools is 100% free and runs entirely inside your browser. Your images and documents are processed on your own computer and are never uploaded to a server. There are no accounts, no watermarks and no catch.