Convert ART to PNG — Free Online Converter
Convert AOL Compressed Image (.art) to Portable Network Graphics (.png) online for free. Fast, secure image conversion with no watermarks or registrat...
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How to Convert
Upload your .art file by dragging it into the upload area or clicking to browse.
Choose your output settings. The default settings work great for most files.
Click Convert and download your .png file when it's ready.
About ART to PNG Conversion
ART files from America Online's proprietary ecosystem have been locked away from the modern digital world since AOL abandoned its dedicated software platform. The Johnson-Grace compression that powered ART was innovative for its time, enabling image delivery over connections as slow as 14.4 kbps, but the format has no place in today's ecosystem. PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is the web's premier lossless image format, supported by every browser, operating system, and image editor in existence.
Converting ART to PNG is the recommended archival conversion for these orphaned images. PNG preserves every pixel decoded from the ART source without introducing any additional compression artifacts, while still achieving meaningful file size reduction through its lossless DEFLATE compression. This makes PNG the ideal format for preserving the full decoded quality of ART files for long-term storage.
Why Convert ART to PNG?
PNG is the gold standard for lossless image storage on the web. Unlike JPEG, which would add its own lossy compression on top of the existing Johnson-Grace degradation, PNG captures the exact decoded pixel values from the ART file with zero additional quality loss. This is critical when preserving already-degraded historical images where every pixel of remaining detail matters.
The format also supports full alpha transparency, which is relevant for ART files that may contain transparent regions used in AOL's interface elements. PNG's metadata capabilities allow you to embed descriptive text chunks documenting the AOL provenance. And with universal support across every platform, the converted PNG files will remain accessible indefinitely — a stark contrast to the orphaned ART format.
Common Use Cases
- Create lossless archival copies of decoded ART images for permanent digital preservation
- Preserve AOL-era graphics with transparency for use in retro computing documentation
- Build web-ready image collections from recovered AOL content with zero additional quality loss
- Prepare recovered ART images for AI-powered upscaling and restoration workflows
- Convert AOL interface elements and icons to PNG for early internet research projects
How It Works
ImageMagick decodes the ART wavelet data into full-color RGBA pixel values and writes the output as a PNG file using DEFLATE lossless compression. The PNG encoder selects optimal filter strategies (sub, up, average, Paeth) per row to maximize compression efficiency. Color depth is set to 24-bit RGB for opaque images or 32-bit RGBA if transparency is detected. Adam7 interlacing can be enabled for progressive web display, though it slightly increases file size.
Quality & Performance
PNG conversion is mathematically lossless — every decoded pixel from the ART source is preserved exactly in the output file. This makes PNG the highest-quality conversion target available for ART files. The quality ceiling is determined entirely by the original Johnson-Grace compression, not by the conversion process. This is the best possible preservation of what remains in the ART file.
Device Compatibility
| Device | ART | PNG |
|---|---|---|
| Windows PC | Partial | Native |
| macOS | Partial | Native |
| iPhone/iPad | Partial | Native |
| Android | Partial | Native |
| Linux | Partial | Native |
| Web Browser | No | Native |
Tips for Best Results
- 1Use PNG as your primary archival format for ART conversions — it provides the best quality-to-compatibility ratio
- 2Enable PNG optimization (OptiPNG level 5+) to reduce file size without any quality penalty
- 3Preserve original ART files alongside PNG conversions as archival source masters
- 4Use 24-bit RGB depth for photographs and 8-bit indexed color for simple graphics to optimize file size
- 5Add descriptive tEXt chunks to the PNG metadata documenting the AOL origin of each image
ART to PNG is the recommended conversion for anyone prioritizing quality and preservation, delivering a lossless copy of the decoded AOL image in the web's most trusted image format.