How to Convert BMP to PNG in Photoshop

Photoshop can open BMP files and save them as PNG with no plugins required. But there is a common source of confusion worth clearing up first: Photoshop uses the word "Bitmap" to describe a 1-bit black-and-white color mode, which is completely different from the BMP file format. If Photoshop is giving you errors about bitmap mode, that is a separate issue from simply converting a BMP file to PNG.

This guide covers both scenarios.

BMP File Format vs Photoshop Bitmap Mode: The Confusion

Two completely different things share the word "bitmap" in Photoshop:

• BMP file format (.bmp): An image file created by Windows. Can be any color depth — full color, grayscale, or black-and-white. This is what you want to convert to PNG.
• Bitmap color mode in Photoshop: A 1-bit (black and white only, no gray) color mode accessed via Image > Mode > Bitmap. This is a creative/technical choice inside Photoshop, unrelated to the file format.

If your BMP file opens in Photoshop but shows as "Bitmap" in the Mode menu, it is a 1-bit black-and-white image. To convert it to a proper PNG: Image > Mode > Grayscale first (or RGB Color), then save as PNG. If your BMP file opens as RGB or Grayscale, proceed directly to saving as PNG.

How to Save a BMP as PNG in Photoshop

Standard workflow for a full-color or grayscale BMP:

1. Open the BMP file: File > Open (Ctrl+O / Cmd+O), select your .bmp file. Photoshop opens it directly.
2. Save as PNG: File > Export > Export As (or Save As in older Photoshop). Select PNG from the format dropdown.
3. Set compression: PNG compression in Photoshop is 0-9. A setting of 6 is a good default — it compresses well without noticeable slowdown on load. Click Export.

That is the full process. The result is a lossless PNG that is 5-20x smaller than the BMP with zero pixel quality loss.

Note on Save vs Export As: In Photoshop CC, "Save As" may default to saving as a Photoshop-native format (PSB/PSD). Use File > Export > Export As to get clean PNG output without embedded Photoshop metadata.

Sell Custom Apparel — We Handle Printing & Free Shipping

Fix: "Cannot Save as PNG — Image Is in Bitmap Mode"

If you try to save as PNG and Photoshop says it cannot because the image is in Bitmap mode, it means the BMP source was 1-bit (pure black and white). PNG supports 1-bit images but Photoshop requires you to change the color mode first:

1. Go to Image > Mode > Grayscale. Click Discard when asked about discarding color information (there is none to discard in a 1-bit image).
2. Optionally, go to Image > Mode > RGB Color if you want a full-color PNG (useful if you plan to add color later).
3. Now File > Export > Export As > PNG works normally.

Batch Converting Multiple BMP Files with Photoshop

Photoshop can batch-convert a folder of BMP files using Actions:

1. Open one BMP file and record an Action: Window > Actions > New Action. Name it "BMP to PNG". Record the steps: File > Export As > PNG. Stop recording.
2. Go to File > Automate > Batch.
3. Set Action to your "BMP to PNG" action. Set Source to Folder, pick your BMP folder. Set Destination to another folder for the PNG output.
4. Click OK. Photoshop processes every file automatically.

This works well for small to medium batches. For large archives (hundreds or thousands of files), command-line tools like ImageMagick or macOS sips are faster — see the batch conversion guide.

When You Should Not Use Photoshop for This

Photoshop is a professional tool that costs money. If the only task is converting BMP to PNG, the free browser-based BMP to PNG converter is faster:

• No Photoshop license required
• No opening files, no export dialogs — drag, drop, done
• Processes multiple files at once and downloads as ZIP
• Works on any device including phones and tablets
• Files never uploaded — processed entirely in your browser

Use Photoshop for BMP-to-PNG conversion if you are already doing other editing work on the image in Photoshop and want to save it as PNG in the same workflow. If you just need to convert and move on, the browser converter saves you several steps.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Photoshop support all BMP variants?

Photoshop supports most common BMP variants including 24-bit RGB, 32-bit RGBA, 8-bit indexed, and grayscale. It may not handle some unusual variants like 1-bit RLE-compressed or 16-bit BMP. If a BMP file fails to open in Photoshop, try the browser converter which uses a different image-reading engine.

Does converting BMP to PNG in Photoshop reduce quality?

No. PNG is a lossless format. Photoshop applies lossless compression when saving PNG — the pixel data is preserved exactly. The only setting that affects output is the compression level, which controls file size and save speed, not image quality.

Can Photoshop Elements convert BMP to PNG?

Yes. Photoshop Elements supports BMP files and can save as PNG through File > Save As. The same mode-conversion fix applies if the image is in 1-bit Bitmap mode.