About BMP
BMP, the device-independent bitmap, dates from the early versions of Windows and OS/2 in the 1980s. It stores pixels in the most direct way possible: row after row of colour values, usually with no compression at all. A program can read it with a few dozen lines of code, which is exactly why it survives.
Where BMP is still needed
- Embedded displays and microcontroller projects that read raw pixel data.
- Embroidery machines, label printers, CNC and laser-engraving software.
- Legacy Windows programs and some scientific or industrial instruments.
For everything else, BMP is simply large. The size is fixed by the dimensions: width times height times three bytes. A full HD image is about 6 MB no matter what it shows.
Tips for device BMPs
Hardware often wants an exact size, and sometimes pure black and white. Resize first with the resizer, convert to black and white if needed, then convert to BMP. Doing resizing before conversion avoids working on a huge uncompressed file.
BMP at a glance
| First released | 1985 |
|---|---|
| Compression | Usually none |
| Transparency | Rarely |
| Animation or pages | No |
| Best for | Older Windows software and devices |
| Support | Most desktop software |
Questions people ask
What kind of BMP does this create?
Standard uncompressed 24-bit BMP, the most widely readable variety.
Why is a BMP so much bigger than a JPG?
BMP normally stores every pixel with no compression.
Does BMP support transparency?
Rarely in practice. Transparent areas are filled with the background colour you choose.