Convert Run-Length Encoded files (RLE) online for free
The converter easily converts your RLE encoded files to various formats - free and online. No XnView or or other Raster Image software needed.
The converter also works in reverse, so you can convert other "Run-Length Encoded Image" formats to RLE without using software like XnView or a similar tool.
The .RLE file extension typically indicates a file utilizing Run-Length Encoding, a basic form of lossless data compression. However, its exact structure depends entirely on the software that created it. The two most frequent real-world variants are legacy raster images (such as older Windows Paintbrush bitmaps or Utah Raster Toolkit files) and plain-text coordinate patterns for Conway's Game of Life. Additionally, vintage video games like Age of Empires II or Stronghold use .RLE files to store proprietary, compressed 2D game sprites.
To open an .RLE image, you need a legacy image viewer like XnView. If it is a Game of Life simulation pattern, Golly is the standard tool.
The primary disadvantage of the .RLE format is its severe fragmentation. Because Run-Length Encoding is an algorithm rather than a strict, standardized file structure, almost any developer can output an .RLE file. As an image format, it is completely obsolete, unsupported by modern web browsers, and fails to render in native OS previewers like macOS Preview or Windows Photos. As a game sprite container, the data is heavily proprietary and usually locked to a specific game engine.
Conversion is mandatory for modern accessibility. For legacy .RLE images, convert them to PNG for lossless web compatibility or JPG to reduce file size. For archiving, converting the image to PDF/A is recommended. If you have a Game of Life .RLE text file, you can rename the extension to TXT to view its grid data. Drag and drop your file here to analyze and convert it - free, online, and without installing software.
Use Convert.Guru to open and convert your RLE file.
Users also converted MOV, BMP, PNG, GIF, ZIP, RAR, JPG, PDF, PGM, TIF and PCX files.
If you want to convert RLE file to CUR, you can use XnView or similar software from the "Lossless Data Compression Encoding" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert SVG files to RLE, try XnView or another comparable tool in the "Lossless Data Compression Encoding" 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 RLE converter.