Convert WMF to BMP — Free Online Converter
Convert Windows Metafile (.wmf) to Bitmap Image (.bmp) online for free. Fast, secure image conversion with no watermarks or registration....
Secure Transfer
HTTPS encrypted uploads
Privacy First
Files auto-deleted after processing
No Registration
Start converting instantly
Works Everywhere
Any browser, any device
How to Convert
Upload your .wmf 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 .bmp file when it's ready.
About WMF to BMP Conversion
WMF (Windows Metafile) is Microsoft's original vector graphics format, introduced with Windows 3.0 in 1990. WMF files contain GDI (Graphics Device Interface) drawing commands — lines, curves, filled shapes, text rendering calls, and embedded bitmap data — recorded as a sequence of binary records. The format was widely used in early Windows clip art, Word documents, and desktop publishing. WMF is limited to 16-bit coordinates, restricting precision compared to its successor EMF.
BMP (Bitmap) is the standard uncompressed raster format for Windows. Converting WMF to BMP rasterizes the vector drawing commands into a fixed-resolution pixel grid, producing a static bitmap image. This conversion makes legacy WMF clip art and graphics viewable in any image application while preserving the visual appearance at the chosen resolution.
Why Convert WMF to BMP?
WMF files from the Windows 3.1/95/98 era are increasingly difficult to open in modern applications. Many current image viewers and editors do not recognize the WMF format or render it incorrectly. Converting to BMP produces a universally viewable raster image that preserves the visual content of the WMF for viewing, archival, and integration into modern documents.
Legacy document recovery projects frequently encounter WMF graphics embedded in old Word 6.0, WordPerfect, and Publisher documents. Extracting and converting these WMFs to BMP makes the graphics available as standalone image files that can be cataloged, searched, and reused in modern workflows without depending on software that can interpret 30-year-old GDI commands.
Common Use Cases
- Convert legacy Windows 3.1/95 clip art from WMF to viewable BMP for archival cataloging
- Rasterize WMF graphics extracted from old Word and Publisher documents for modern reuse
- Create bitmap versions of WMF diagrams for inclusion in image-based documentation systems
- Preserve WMF graphics from legacy enterprise applications as universally viewable BMP files
- Convert WMF technical drawings from old Windows CAD applications to standard raster format
How It Works
The WMF file is parsed as a sequence of GDI metafile records. LibreOffice or ImageMagick interprets each record — SetWindowOrg, SetWindowExt, LineTo, Rectangle, Ellipse, TextOut, StretchDIBits, SelectObject — and renders the accumulated drawing commands onto a raster canvas at the specified resolution. The output BMP preserves the rendered result as 24-bit RGB uncompressed bitmap data. Resolution is configurable — higher resolutions capture more detail from the vector source at the cost of larger file sizes.
Quality & Performance
The quality of the BMP depends entirely on the rendering resolution. At 150 DPI, the output is suitable for screen viewing. At 300 DPI, it is suitable for print. Since WMF is a vector format, the source has no inherent resolution limit — you can render at any size. However, WMF's 16-bit coordinate space limits precision, so extremely high resolutions may not reveal additional detail beyond what the original GDI commands describe. Text rendering quality depends on font availability — if the WMF references fonts not installed on the conversion system, substitution may alter text appearance.
Device Compatibility
| Device | WMF | BMP |
|---|---|---|
| Windows PC | Partial | Native |
| macOS | Partial | Partial |
| iPhone/iPad | Partial | Partial |
| Android | Partial | Partial |
| Linux | Partial | Partial |
| Web Browser | No | No |
Tips for Best Results
- 1Use 300 DPI for print-quality output and 150 DPI for screen viewing
- 2Install common Windows fonts on the conversion system to ensure accurate text rendering from WMF
- 3Consider PNG instead of BMP for smaller files with identical lossless quality
- 4WMF's vector nature means you can render at any resolution — choose based on your output needs
- 5Test font rendering on a sample WMF before batch converting to catch substitution issues early
WMF to BMP conversion rasterizes legacy Windows vector graphics into universally viewable bitmap images. The output preserves the visual content of decades-old WMF files in a format that every modern application can display.