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XPM

xpm icon

Image file

File type: Bitmap image file

Files with xpm extension can be usually encountered as pictures in X Pixmap (XPM) format, an ASCII-text-based image format used by the X Window System.

Found 2 different file type records with the same xpm filename suffix.

What is xpm file?

File type category:
Bitmap image file

Date updated: July 14, 2025

File extension xpm is used for X Pixmap (XPM), an ASCII-text-based image format used by the X Window System. It was created in 1989 by Daniel Dardailler and Colas Nahaboo working at the INRIA, France, and was later enhanced by Arnaud Le Hors.

It is intended primarily for creating icon pixmaps, and supports transparent color. It has a simple structure, deriving from the earlier XBM syntax. It can be created and manipulated using any text editor and can be included in a C language file.

Unix-X11 PixMap (256 color image for X Windows) (8bit text).

MIME types:
image/x-xpixmap
image/xpm
image/x-xpm

How to open xpm file?

Use Nero PhotoSnap, IrfanView, OpenOffice.org Draw.

How to convert xpm file?

Use OpenOffice.org Draw to save xpm file to another format.

Suggested software to open xpm file:

Associated software actions with the xpm file

Software applications that can open xpm files:

Microsoft Windows

Apple macOS / Mac OS X

Linux/Unix

Multiplatform

Software applications that can edit xpm files:

Microsoft Windows

Apple macOS / Mac OS X

Linux/Unix

Software capable of saving xpm files:

Microsoft Windows

Apple macOS / Mac OS X

Linux/Unix

Programs for viewing xpm files:

Software apps that convert xpm files:

Software apps that export xpm files:

Multiplatform

Software apps that print xpm files:

Multiplatform

Software applications that handle other tasks involving xpm files:

Microsoft Windows

DESQview macro file

File type category:
Settings, options, themes or skins file

Date updated: January 16, 2012

The XPM file extension is related to an old application called  DESQview which  was a text mode multitasking program developed by Quarterdeck Office Systems which enjoyed modest popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Running on top of DOS, it allowed users to run multiple DOS programs concurrently in multiple windows.

An *.xpm file contains macroes usable in the program.

Convert .xpm files

Convert to .xpm from other formats

Related file extensions