BMP vs PNG
A quick, plain-English comparison of the BMP and PNG file formats — and how to convert between them, free and in your browser.
| BMP | PNG | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | image | image |
| Extension | .bmp | .png |
| MIME type | image/bmp | image/png |
| Converts to | 33 formats | 33 formats |
| Direction here | read & write | read & write |
Convert between BMP and PNG
BMP vs PNG: frequently asked questions
What's the difference between BMP and PNG?
Uncompressed Windows bitmap raster image. Lossless raster image with alpha transparency; ideal for graphics and screenshots.
Should I use BMP or PNG?
Both are image formats — the right one depends on compatibility, quality and file size for your use. Whichever you have, you can convert it to the other below in seconds.
How do I convert BMP to PNG?
Open the BMP-to-PNG converter, drop your BMP file in, and download the PNG. We auto-detect the real format from the file's bytes, so a mislabeled file still works.