BMP File

What are BMP files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a BMP file or are you simply curious about its contents? We're here to explain the properties of these files and provide you with software that can open or handle your BMP files.

What is a BMP file?

BMP files have multiple uses, and Windows Bitmap is one of them. Read more about the other uses further down the page.

Windows Bitmap

The .bmp file extension is given to raster image files, also known as bitmap image files. These non-compressed image files contain a file header and the pixels of the associated bitmap.

The file header contained in the BMP file includes information about the size of the BMP file, the width, the height, the color options of the BMP image as well as information about where the bitmap pixels should be located within the grid.

BMP files can store 2D digital images of varying resolution, height, and width. These images can be both color images and monochrome images of various depths.

How to open BMP files

We have identified three BMP openers that are compatible with this specific type of BMP file.

Programs that open Windows Bitmap files

Last updated: May 17, 2024

All known file formats using extension .BMP

While Windows Bitmap is a popular type of BMP-file, we know of 3 different uses of the .BMP file extension. Different software may use files with the same extension for different types of data.

OS/2 Bitmap

OS/2 BMP files are bitmap image files used on the IBM OS/2 Operating System for e.g. system icons, mouse pointers, and other graphic elements.

While it uses the same .bmp file extension as e.g. the widely used Windows Bitmaps, they are not the same and are not compatible. This type of BMP file is obsolete, and you will seldomly come across one unless you have an interest in old computer systems.

While we have not verified the apps ourselves yet, our users have suggested ten different BMP openers which you will find listed below.

Alpha Microsystems Bitmap

Alpha Microsystems BMP files are bitmap image files. It is a format invented by Alpha Microsystems, and while it uses the same .bmp file extension as e.g. the widely used Windows Bitmaps, they are not the same and are not compatible. This type of BMP files is obsolete and you will likely never come across one.

Various apps that use files with this extension

These apps are known to open certain types of BMP files. Remember, different programs may use BMP files for different purposes, so you may need to try out a few of them to be able to open your specific file.

Help us help others

File.org helps thousands of users every day, and we would love to hear from you if you have additional information about BMP file formats, example files, or compatible programs. Please use the links below or email us at submit@file.org to discuss further.