FASTQ Converter

Convert FASTQ files online for free

Select File
Drop or upload your .FASTQ file

How to convert your FASTQ file

Click Select File above, and choose your FASTQ file.
You'll see a preview.
Click the "Convert file to..." button to save your file in the format you want.

Convert FASTQ to another file type

The converter easily converts your FASTQ file to various formats—free and online. No Windows or extra software needed.

Convert a file to FASTQ

The converter also works in reverse, allowing you to convert your file into the FASTQ file type—in the best quality.

About FASTQ files

The FASTQ file format is a widely used text-based format for storing both a biological sequence (usually nucleotide sequence) and its corresponding quality scores. Despite its popularity in genomics, FASTQ files can be cumbersome due to their large size and complexity. For more information on FASTQ, visit the Wikipedia page.

Conversion of FASTQ Files

Converting FASTQ files can be challenging due to their intricate structure and the need to maintain data integrity. However, there are several reliable tools available that facilitate this process:

Seqtk: A fast and lightweight tool for converting FASTQ to FASTA format.
SAMtools: Often used for converting FASTQ to BAM format for better compression and indexing.
SRA Toolkit: Useful for converting FASTQ to SRA format, commonly used for archiving sequencing data.

Conversion Considerations and Challenges

When converting FASTQ files, it is crucial to ensure that the quality scores are preserved accurately. Inadequate conversion tools might lead to data loss or corruption, impacting downstream analysis. Additionally, the large file size of FASTQ files can make the conversion process time-consuming and resource-intensive.

Drawbacks of FASTQ and the Easy Solution

FASTQ files, while essential for bioinformatics, can be unwieldy and difficult to manage without proper tools. This is where Convert.Guru comes into play. By using Convert.Guru, you can effortlessly drag and drop your FASTQ files to convert them into various formats like FASTA, BAM, and SRA. This free and user-friendly platform ensures a smooth conversion process, making it an indispensable tool for both beginners and experienced users.

The FASTQ Converter Story

The history of Convert.Guru began more than 25 years ago in California, when Tom Simondi published the most comprehensive database of file formats on his website. Before that, Tom had worked on Space Shuttle development at the Air Force Systems Command’s Space Division in Los Angeles. He is known as one of the top programmers of the late 1980s.

When Microsoft integrated Tom’s Filext database into Windows XP, it became the leading platform for analyzing and processing file types and formats.

Today, we use the latest technologies to analyze, process, and convert one of the world's largest collections of file formats. We are committed to developing the best FASTQ converter by continuously improving quality, usability, and reliability.