BMP File: How to Open and Convert

BMP is a popular file format that contains data of raster images. The peculiarity of this format is that a file doesn’t lose information when compressed, so you can get images of excellent quality.

What Is a BMP File?

The BMP file contains raster graphic data. You don’t need to use graphics adapters to view BMP files, as this format is compatible with all display devices. The digital content of an image that is stored in the BMP file consists of pixels in a rectangular grid. These pixels may vary in color depth.

• Learn the difference between JPEG and PNG, GIF, BMP.

How to Open a BMP File?

A great advantage of a BMP format is that you can easily open and use it for your needs. Select one of the programs below to open the file and start working with it.

Professional Software to Open a BMP File

Adobe Photoshop. This is the most popular software for work with many formats, BMP file format included. To work with BMP files in Adobe Photoshop, you need to indicate some parameters, such as bit depth. The advantage of using this program is that downloading and opening a file doesn’t require much time and effort.

• Check out information about the PSD file.

Adobe Illustrator. Using Adobe Illustrator, you can create beautiful effects in your raster images using vector graphics and diverse styles. To do this, you need to select an object in Illustrator, and click "Make to trace".

• Learn more about Illustrator Portable.

Corel PaintShop Pro. This universal photo editor allows you to work with .BMP images, and you can also export the result in various electronic formats.

• Find out how to open and convert TIFF file.

Free Software to Open a BMP File

GIMP. If you want to use a free program to open a BMP file, then I recommend you to try GIMP. In this program you can perform various operations with layers, change colors, gradients and also reduce noise.

• Check out information about GIMP.

IrfanView. Another option you can try to open a BMP format file is IrfanView. It is a handy program that supports most file formats. Besides, if needed, you can use the software to convert a file into another format.

Open a BMP File Online

Fotor. This online application can quickly open BMP files, as well as documents of various formats. The main advantage of the program is that you can work in the cloud and access the project regardless of where you are.

• Get information about Fotor by reading review.

Google Photos. If you don’t want to download various programs to view BMP files, I advise you to use this web application. You can also convert a BMP file to PDF and many other formats.

How to Convert a BMP?

There may happen situations when you need to convert a BMP file to other formats. To help you with the task, I have described the most helpful programs that you can use below.

FileZigZag. FileZigZag is an excellent online image conversion service, using which you can convert a BMP file to any popular image format. This program is very user-friendly. To get the format you need, just upload your file and select the source image format.

• Learn more about different file formats like PNG file.

Zamzar. I also recommend using Zamzar online converter if you want to convert a BMP file in a quick way. You can change the BMP format to any of the popular formats without downloading the software.

BMP FILE: FAQ

• What do I need BMP files for?

BMP is a popular format for saving raster images. It is a unique format because it stores color data for each pixel of an image without any compression.

• What are compressed BMP files?

In general, BMP files aren’t compressed. However, in rare cases, you can come across compressed BMPs. Lossy compression formats are usually suitable for photographs. But they aren’t suitable for illustrations, drawings, and text, since the compression artifacts during image compression will be different.

• Is a BMP file format popular?

BMP is a format developed by Microsoft for Windows. BMP files aren’t compressed. Besides, they don’t lose information, which allows you to receive very high-quality images, but, at the same time, the size of the file is very big. That’s why, many people recommend using TIFF format files instead.

• How is a file created and stored?

When you break an image into a grid of thousands of squares, you get a bitmap image. Each square contains color data and displays a color based on that data.

• How can I work with photos?

Since we use pixels to form images, we must convert files to a bitmap file format first. You can make subtle transitional changes by altering a color scheme.

Ann Young

Hi there, I'm Ann Young - a professional blogger, read more