---
title: ".bmp file — what it is and how to open it"
description: "A .bmp file is a Windows Bitmap. Microsoft's uncompressed image format — simple, huge, and effectively obsolete. How to open one on Windows, macOS and Linux, and what to convert it to."
url: https://atoneplace.net/file/bmp/
site: "At One Place"
---

# .bmp files

**.bmp file: Windows Bitmap**

Microsoft's uncompressed image format — simple, huge, and effectively obsolete.

## What opens a .bmp file

- **Windows:** Photos (built in), Paint (built in), IrfanView
- **macOS:** Preview (built in), GIMP
- **Linux:** Image Viewer / Loupe (built in), GIMP

## What a .bmp file is

BMP stores pixels more or less raw, which made it trivial for early Windows to draw and makes files enormous today. It still turns up in old software, Windows wallpapers and embedded devices. Anything can open one, and converting to PNG loses nothing while cutting the size by a large factor.

## Converting it

A .bmp file is commonly converted to .png, .jpg, .gif, .ico or .pdf. It is a binary format, so a text editor will show unreadable characters rather than its contents.

## Details

- **Extension:** .bmp
- **Full name:** Windows Bitmap
- **Category:** Images
- **MIME type:** image/bmp
- **Created by:** Microsoft
- **Format:** Binary

## Common questions

### How do I open a .bmp file?

On Windows use Photos (built in); on macOS use Preview (built in); on Linux use Image Viewer / Loupe (built in). Microsoft's uncompressed image format — simple, huge, and effectively obsolete.

### What is a .bmp file?

Windows Bitmap. BMP stores pixels more or less raw, which made it trivial for early Windows to draw and makes files enormous today. It still turns up in old software, Windows wallpapers and embedded devices.

### Can I convert a .bmp file?

Yes. It is usually converted to .png, .jpg, .gif, .ico or .pdf, either by exporting from one of the programs listed above or with a format converter.

## Related pages

- [.jpg — JPEG Image](https://atoneplace.net/file/jpg/)
- [.png — Portable Network Graphics](https://atoneplace.net/file/png/)
- [.jpeg — JPEG Image (four-letter form)](https://atoneplace.net/file/jpeg/)
- [.heic — High Efficiency Image Container](https://atoneplace.net/file/heic/)
- [.webp — WebP Image](https://atoneplace.net/file/webp/)
- [.gif — Graphics Interchange Format](https://atoneplace.net/file/gif/)
- [.psd — Adobe Photoshop Document](https://atoneplace.net/file/psd/)
- [.svg — Scalable Vector Graphics](https://atoneplace.net/file/svg/)
- [.ai — Adobe Illustrator Artwork](https://atoneplace.net/file/ai/)
- [.avif — AV1 Image File Format](https://atoneplace.net/file/avif/)
- [.tiff — Tagged Image File Format](https://atoneplace.net/file/tiff/)
- [.raw — Camera Raw Image](https://atoneplace.net/file/raw/)

## Sources

- Media Types Registry — IANA (https://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/)
- Official vendor product documentation — At One Place (/about/)