KOA Converter

Convert KoalaPainter images (KOA) online for free


Drop or upload your .KOA file
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How to convert your KOA file

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

Convert KOA to another file type

The converter easily converts your KOA images to various formats - free and online. No KoalaPainter or or other Raster Image software needed.

  • KOA to JPG
  • KOA to PDF
  • KOA to PNG
  • KOA to GIF
  • KOA to BMP
  • KOA to TIFF
  • KOA to TIF
  • KOA to ICO
  • KOA to PSD
  • KOA to MIFF
  • KOA to CH
  • KOA to CT

Convert a file to KOA

To convert other file formats to the "Retro Bitmap Graphic" file type, you need software like KoalaPainter or a similar tool.


About KOA files

The .koa file extension is most famously associated with KoalaPainter, a legendary bitmap graphics editor for the Commodore 64 released in 1983 by Koala Technologies. These files are essentially raw memory dumps of the C64's video RAM, specifically formatted for the computer's "Multicolor Bitmap Mode."

Because a .koa file is a direct snapshot of 1980s hardware memory (containing a bitmap bank, screen RAM, and color RAM packed together), modern image viewers and operating systems like Windows or macOS cannot open them natively. Users often find themselves unable to view their old pixel art without running a specialized C64 emulator or using obscure retro-graphic plugins. Additionally, the pixels in this format are rectangular (2:1 aspect ratio), meaning even if you extract the raw data, the image will look "squashed" horizontally without proper correction.

For modern use, the best approach is to convert .koa files to PNG to preserve the sharp edges and exact color palette of the pixel art. For general sharing, JPG is suitable, though it may introduce blur. Convert.guru handles the memory address parsing and aspect ratio correction automatically, allowing you to instantly visualize and save these vintage masterpieces.

Use Convert.Guru to open and convert your KOA file.

Users also converted KOALA, PANO, SA and HIF files.


FAQ

If you want to convert KOA file to WEBP, CUR or PSB, you can use KoalaPainter or similar software from the "Commodore 64 Bitmap Image" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….

To convert RAW, PNG, AI, NEF, PSB, DNG, SVG, GIF, EPS, JPG, ARW or PDF files to KOA, try KoalaPainter or another comparable tool in the "Commodore 64 Bitmap Image" category.



The KOA Converter Story

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 KOA converter.