Free PBM Converter: No Sign-up, Files Never Uploaded
This free PBM converter runs entirely on your device. You do not need an account or a login, and your files are never uploaded, so they never leave your browser.
PBM in short. Netpbm black-and-white (1 bit) image. Extremely simple, which makes it handy for scripts and teaching.
From PBM you can convert to PNG, JPG, WEBP, AVIF, JXL and GIF, and 9 more formats. Some of these pairs can need a one-time engine download, which the page announces before it starts.
- Free
- No sign-up
- Never uploaded
- No watermark
Your files are converted on your device and never uploaded.
How to convert
- Add your PBM files by dragging them onto the converter or by using the file picker.
- Choose the format you want from the list of targets that fit your file.
- Open the options if you want to change quality or size, or keep the defaults.
- Press Convert and watch the progress shown for each file.
- Download each result, or take them all together as one ZIP when you converted several files.
Features
- Reads .pbm files and can also write them.
- Free, with no watermark added to the result.
- No sign-up and no login.
- Your files are never uploaded and never leave your device.
- Batch conversion with a ZIP download for several results.
- The input is recognised by its content, not only by its file name.
- 15 target formats to choose from.
- A one-time engine download is cached by your browser.
Supported formats
| Format | Read | Write | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PNG.png | Yes | Yes | Lossless raster format with a full alpha (transparency) channel. |
| JPEG.jpg | Yes | Yes | Lossy compression designed for photographs, so file sizes stay small. |
| WebP.webp | Yes | Yes | Supports both lossy and lossless compression, plus transparency and animation. |
| AVIF.avif | Yes | Yes | Built on the AV1 video codec; supports lossy and lossless images with transparency. |
| JPEG XL.jxl | Yes | Yes | Supports lossy and lossless compression, transparency and animation. |
| HEIC.heic | Yes | No | HEIC relies on the patent-licensed HEVC codec, so browsers cannot create it; it can be opened and converted to other formats. |
| GIF.gif | Yes | Yes | Limited to 256 colours per frame, with single-bit transparency. |
| APNG.apng | Yes | Yes | Animated PNG: keeps PNG’s lossless quality and full alpha channel for each frame. |
| BMP.bmp | Yes | Yes | Usually stores raw, uncompressed pixels, so files are large. |
| ICO.ico | Yes | Yes | Holds several sizes of one icon in a single file. |
| CUR.cur | Yes | No | CUR files carry a cursor hotspot, so they can be opened but not created; convert them to PNG or ICO. |
| TIFF.tiff | Yes | Yes | Flexible container, usually lossless, common in scanning, print and photography. |
| SVG.svg | Yes | Yes | XML-based vector format: shapes and paths stay sharp at any size. |
| PSD.psd | Yes | No | PSD is Adobe’s proprietary layered format, so it can be read as a flattened image but not created. |
| TGA.tga | Yes | Yes | Truevision TGA (Targa): simple lossless format with optional run-length compression. |
| QOI.qoi | Yes | Yes | The Quite OK Image format: lossless, designed for very fast encoding and decoding. |
| PCX.pcx | Yes | No | PCX is a legacy format that is only read here; convert it to PNG instead. |
| PBM.pbm | Yes | Yes | Netpbm black-and-white (1 bit) image. |
| PGM.pgm | Yes | Yes | Netpbm greyscale image. |
| PPM.ppm | Yes | Yes | Netpbm full-colour image. |
| DNG.dng | Yes | No | DNG holds raw sensor data; the embedded preview can be read, but a DNG cannot be created. |
| PDF.pdf | Yes | Yes | Fixed-layout document format that looks the same on every device. |
About the formats
About PBM
Netpbm black-and-white (1 bit) image.
Extremely simple, which makes it handy for scripts and teaching.
PBM uses lossless compression. It does not support transparency.
What PBM can become
PBM to PNG runs in the page.
PBM to JPG runs in the page.
PBM to WEBP runs in the page.
PBM to AVIF can need a one-time download of about 1.5 MB.
PBM to JXL can need a one-time download of about 1.1 MB.
PBM to GIF runs in the page.
PBM to APNG runs in the page.
PBM to BMP runs in the page.
Privacy: how it works
- Your PBM files stay on your device. The page reads each file with the browser's file API, converts it with code running in the tab, and hands the result back as a download. No upload happens, so there is no copy of your file on our servers to protect, delete or leak.
- There is nothing to sign up for and no login. The converter does not ask for an email address, and it does not need to know who you are to do its job.
- Some conversions use a WebAssembly engine that your browser downloads once, the first time you need it. Only the engine is fetched, never your file, and the page shows the approximate size before it starts. Your browser caches it, so later conversions skip the download.
- You can check the claim yourself: open your browser developer tools, watch the Network tab while a file converts, and you will see no request that carries your file.
Tips
- Keep your original file. A lossy format cannot be turned back into the exact original pixels.
- Pick the quality setting by looking at the result, not by guessing: a lower value gives a smaller file and a visible loss of detail.
- Convert logos and screenshots to a lossless format, and photographs to a lossy one, to keep file sizes sensible.
- Resize before converting when the picture is much larger than where you will use it.
Frequently asked questions
Is it really free?
Yes. There is no price, no trial, no credit card and no watermark added to your results. Ulkaa Tool does the conversion with your own device, so there is no server bill to pass on to you.
Are my files uploaded?
No. Your PBM files are read and converted inside your browser and are never sent to Ulkaa or to anyone else. The result is created on your device and you save it from there. Some conversions load a small conversion engine the first time you use them. That download is the only network traffic, it contains no file of yours, and your browser keeps it for next time.
Do I need an account?
No. There is no sign-up and no login. Open the page, add your files and convert. An Ulkaa account is not needed for anything on this tool.
Is there a file size limit?
No limit is set by us. The real limit is your device: the conversion uses your own memory and processor, so very large files can be slow, and a very big batch may need to be split into smaller runs.
What can I convert PBM files to?
You can convert PBM to PNG, JPG, WEBP, AVIF, JXL, GIF, APNG, BMP, ICO, TIFF, TGA, QOI, PGM, PPM and PDF. Pick one on the converter and it applies to every file you add.
Can I convert other files to PBM?
Yes, where a source format supports it. Open the converter and look for PBM in the list of targets.
Can I convert many PBM files at once?
Yes. Add as many files as your device can handle. Each one is converted on its own and you can download them one by one or as a single ZIP.