BMP files come from older Windows software, lab and industrial equipment, some screen capture tools and embedded devices. They're simple and easy to decode but enormous, because most store every pixel with no compression at all. BMP to PDF wraps those images in a PDF with lossless compression, so nothing changes visually while the file becomes practical to email and archive.
How to use BMP to PDF
- Add one or more BMP files.
- Put them in order in the file list.
- Select Convert to PDF.
- Download the PDF.
Why BMP files are so large
- Every pixel stored directly: A typical BMP stores the color of every pixel directly. A 1920 by 1080 screenshot in 24-bit color takes about 6 MB as a BMP, however simple the picture is.
- Compressed losslessly inside the PDF: Inside the PDF, VelloDoc stores the same pixels with lossless compression. This works especially well on screenshots and diagrams with large areas of flat color.
- Often much smaller: The result is often much smaller than the original, yet it shows exactly the same image.
Nothing is lost
- Every pixel matches: Because the compression is lossless, every pixel in the PDF matches the original BMP exactly.
- Why exactness matters: That matters for instrument readouts, measurements and screenshots that may be used as evidence, where even small changes around edges would be unwelcome. Converting to JPG would introduce exactly those changes.
- If size matters more: If a smaller file matters more than exactness, Compress PDF can apply lossy compression as a separate, deliberate step afterwards.
Combining with other formats
Old archives rarely use a single format.
- Mixing formats: If you have BMPs alongside JPGs, PNGs or TIFFs, Any Image to PDF converts them together into one document.
- For text in the images: For text visible in the images, OCR PDF makes it searchable.
- Where to read more: The format guide explains why PNG and PDF have largely replaced BMP for sharing and storage.
When people use BMP to PDF
Output from lab or factory equipment
Turn bitmap readouts from instruments and machines into compact PDFs for reports and quality records.
Legacy software screenshots
Convert captures saved by older tools into a format that's small enough to email and open anywhere.
Old archive images
Shrink folders of uncompressed bitmaps for long-term storage without altering a single pixel.
Limitations to know
BMP to PDF keeps images lossless, so photographic BMPs stay fairly large. Each image becomes one page sized at 150 pixels per inch, with no margins or captions, and any text in an image isn't searchable until OCR is applied.
BMP to PDF: common questions
Will my BMP lose quality?
No. Pixels are stored with lossless compression, so the image in the PDF is identical to the BMP you uploaded.
How much smaller will the file be?
It depends on the image. Screenshots and graphics with flat colors usually shrink dramatically, while photographic BMPs shrink less because they contain more detail to store.
Are BMPs with transparency supported?
Yes. Transparent areas are placed on a white background, so they don't turn black in the PDF.
Can I convert several BMPs into one PDF?
Yes. Add them all and arrange the list. Each image becomes a page in the order shown.