.xcf files

Common questions

How do I open a .xcf file?

On Windows use GIMP; on macOS use GIMP; on Linux use GIMP. GIMP's own layered working file — the free equivalent of a PSD.

What is a .xcf file?

GIMP Image. XCF stores a GIMP project with its layers, channels, paths and selections intact. Only GIMP reads it fully; the browser editor Photopea imports it, and Krita offers partial support.

Can I convert a .xcf file?

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

Related pages

• .jpg — JPEG Image The lossy photo format that every camera, phone and website has used since the 1
• .png — Portable Network Graphics Lossless image format with transparency, made for screenshots, logos and web gra
• .jpeg — JPEG Image (four-letter form) The same format as .jpg — the longer spelling, kept alive by Macs and Unix syste
• .heic — High Efficiency Image Container The format an iPhone saves photos in — about half the size of a JPEG at the same
• .webp — WebP Image Google's web image format — smaller than JPEG or PNG, and now supported everywhe
• .gif — Graphics Interchange Format The 256-colour animation format from 1987 that refuses to die.
• .psd — Adobe Photoshop Document Photoshop's working file, keeping layers, masks and text editable.
• .svg — Scalable Vector Graphics An XML text format describing shapes rather than pixels, so it stays sharp at an
• .ai — Adobe Illustrator Artwork Illustrator's vector working file, used for logos, icons and print artwork.
• .avif — AV1 Image File Format A royalty-free image format built on the AV1 video codec, smaller than JPEG or W
• .tiff — Tagged Image File Format The lossless, multi-page image format used in printing, scanning and archiving.
• .raw — Camera Raw Image Unprocessed sensor data from a camera — and, confusingly, a literal extension us