PICON Converter

What is a PICON file?
A PICON file is a small grayscale or color icon image format originally developed for use in email systems and network directories (e.g., in the 1990s as part of the “Personal Icons” or Picons project). PICON files are typically 48×48 or 32×32 pixel images used to visually represent people, domains, or services (e.g., a user’s face, company logo, or mail server).

PICONs follow a standardized naming convention (e.g., firstname+lastname@domain.picon) and were widely used in early internet tools like email clients (e.g., xtalk, Z-Mail) and X Window System applications.

What is a PICON file used for?
PICON files are mainly used for:

• Representing users or email addresses with visual icons
• Enhancing usability in messaging and directory systems
• Legacy network service identification
• Academic and early internet historical projects
• Lightweight avatar systems (pre-social media era)

They provide a simple, predictable way to map identities to small graphical identifiers.

How to open a PICON file?
PICON files can be opened with:

• GIMP
• XnView
• IrfanView
• ImageMagick (convert file.picon output.png)
• Any tool that supports XBM (X BitMap) or XPM (X PixMap) — because most PICONs are stored in XBM (1-bit) or XPM (color) format

⚠️ Note: .picon is usually just a filename extension — the actual format inside is typically XBM (for grayscale/monochrome) or XPM (for color), not a unique binary format.

Is a PICON file an image file?
Yes.
A PICON file contains actual image data — either 1-bit bitmap (XBM) or RGB pixmap (XPM) — stored as plain text (ASCII), making it human-readable and portable.

File format details

• Format type: Raster image (usually XBM or XPM under the hood)
• Data stored: Pixel data (1-bit grayscale or RGB color)
• Primary use: Email avatars, network identity icons (legacy)
• Platforms: Unix/X11 systems (historically), cross-platform via viewers