Extract text from retro graphics (EGA)
To convert EGA graphics to another format, you need Deluxe Paint or other Raster Image software.
To convert other file formats to the "Legacy Bitmap Graphic" file type, you need software like Deluxe Paint or a similar tool.
The .EGA file extension typically represents an Amiga IFF Interleaved Bitmap Image, heavily used by classic raster graphics editors like Deluxe Paint. Alternatively, it stores raw graphics data natively tied to the IBM Enhanced Graphics Adapter (EGA) hardware display standard from the MS-DOS era.
Originally, users interacted with these files exclusively via Commodore Amiga systems or early IBM PC hardware. Today, you need specialized retro-image processors or plugins for viewers like IrfanView or XnView to render the interleaved bitplane data properly.
The main disadvantage of the .EGA format is its extreme obsolescence. Modern web browsers, Windows Photos, and macOS Preview cannot natively render these old interleaved chunks or raw EGA bitplanes. The proprietary encoding requires legacy hardware emulation or specific decoders, making the files practically useless for modern web sharing or editing.
To make these images usable, you must convert them to standard web formats. We recommend PNG for lossless quality that perfectly preserves the original 16-color or indexed graphics without blurring. Alternatively, use JPG or GIF. You will lose the raw bitplane structure, but you gain universal compatibility across all modern devices.
Standard online converters usually fail to process this file format. It relies on obsolete, hardware-specific architectures (like the Amiga Agnus chip or IBM EGA cards), and standard image processing libraries lack the necessary decoders. Often, only the original legacy software running in an emulator can properly read or export the data. However, just drag and drop your .EGA file onto convert.guru. We can identify the exact file format, inspect the internal headers, and extract embedded visual content if supported.
Convert.Guru analyzes your EGA file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted CGA, LBM, ILBM and HAM files.
If you want to convert EGA file to , you can use Deluxe Paint or similar software from the "Legacy Raster Image Storage" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert files to EGA, try Deluxe Paint or another comparable tool in the "Legacy Raster Image Storage" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our EGA converter.