Why convert BMP to TGA?

Game engines and texture-authoring tools frequently use TGA as a working format, so an old BMP graphic can be brought into a modern texture pipeline in the format it actually expects.

Should I use 24-bit or 32-bit TGA?

32-bit (the default) keeps whatever alpha channel the browser decoded from the source. 24-bit composites transparent pixels onto a white background instead, the same convention used for JPG output.

Will the TGA file be smaller than the source BMP?

Not necessarily. This tool writes an uncompressed true-color TGA (image type 2), and BMP source files are typically uncompressed too, so file size stays roughly comparable rather than shrinking the way it would converting to a compressed format.

Does the source BMP actually carry usable alpha?

It depends on the file. Older BITMAPINFOHEADER-based BMPs have no alpha channel at all, while newer V4/V5-header BMPs can carry real per-pixel alpha — but not every BMP-writing tool sets it even when the header supports it. 32-bit TGA output carries through whatever the source actually has.

Are my files uploaded?

No. Conversion runs locally in your browser and does not upload your file to Looty Tools servers.

What is validated before conversion?

The file must actually be a BMP — the tool checks the "BM" header bytes, not just the filename or extension, before decoding.

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BMP to TGA Converter

Convert BMP images to TGA directly in your browser — a format used in game development, textures, and older graphics software.

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BMP to TGA processes files locally in your browser.

What BMP to TGA conversion does

Convert an old BMP graphic to TGA directly in your browser — a genuinely plausible move for pulling a legacy bitmap asset into a game-dev texture pipeline, since TGA is the format many engines and 3D tools specifically expect.

How to convert BMP to TGA

Choose a BMP file.
Choose whether to include the alpha channel (32-bit) or not (24-bit).
Select Convert & download.
Save the .tga file from your browser downloads.

Why use this conversion

Game engines and texture-authoring tools frequently use TGA as a working format, so an old BMP source image can be brought into a modern texture pipeline in the format it actually expects.

Transparency and output quality

Choose 32-bit (the default) to keep whatever alpha channel the browser decoded from the source BMP, or 24-bit to composite transparent pixels onto a white background instead, the same convention used for JPG output. Both BMP and this tool's TGA output (image type 2) are uncompressed true-color formats, so file size stays roughly comparable to the source rather than shrinking — 32-bit output can even run slightly larger if it's adding an alpha channel the source BMP didn't store per pixel.

Privacy and local processing

Processing occurs locally in the browser.
Files are not uploaded to Looty Tools for conversion.
Converted files remain on your device.

Limits and known issues

Input: BMP (.bmp) only, up to 25.0 MB and 8,192 px per side.
Support varies outside game engines and graphics/texture tools — many everyday OS photo viewers do not open TGA natively without an extension.
Whether 32-bit output carries real transparency depends on the source BMP's header: older BITMAPINFOHEADER files have no alpha to read, while newer V4/V5-header files with real alpha data will carry it through.
Metadata is not preserved in the downloaded file.

Related tools

Guides

BMP to TGA FAQ

Why convert BMP to TGA?: Game engines and texture-authoring tools frequently use TGA as a working format, so an old BMP graphic can be brought into a modern texture pipeline in the format it actually expects.
Should I use 24-bit or 32-bit TGA?: 32-bit (the default) keeps whatever alpha channel the browser decoded from the source. 24-bit composites transparent pixels onto a white background instead, the same convention used for JPG output.
Will the TGA file be smaller than the source BMP?: Not necessarily. This tool writes an uncompressed true-color TGA (image type 2), and BMP source files are typically uncompressed too, so file size stays roughly comparable rather than shrinking the way it would converting to a compressed format.
Does the source BMP actually carry usable alpha?: It depends on the file. Older BITMAPINFOHEADER-based BMPs have no alpha channel at all, while newer V4/V5-header BMPs can carry real per-pixel alpha — but not every BMP-writing tool sets it even when the header supports it. 32-bit TGA output carries through whatever the source actually has.
Are my files uploaded?: No. Conversion runs locally in your browser and does not upload your file to Looty Tools servers.
What is validated before conversion?: The file must actually be a BMP — the tool checks the "BM" header bytes, not just the filename or extension, before decoding.