Host an XCF file and share it as a link
Put a GIMP working file online at its own address, so a collaborator can pick up the layered original.
Drop your XCF file here
Any other file works too — up to 25.0 MB, or 100.0 MB for a whole site
Free to use. Your XCF file is live at your-name.99helpers.site in about ten seconds.
What is a .xcf file?
XCF is GIMP's native format, holding layers, masks, paths, channels and selections as an editable document. It's the open-source counterpart to a PSD — and like a PSD, it's the working file rather than the finished image.
What people use XCF files for
- Working files shared between GIMP users
- Layered originals archived alongside exports
- Templates others customise
- Open-source project artwork
What opens a XCF file
- GIMP, on Windows, macOS and Linux
- Krita, which imports XCF with some limitations
- No browser displays XCF
How to host a XCF file
- 1
Drop your XCF file in
Drag it onto the box at the top of this page, or click to choose it. Files up to 25 MB are supported, and nothing is uploaded until you publish.
- 2
Pick an address
Type a name and we'll tell you straight away whether it's free. That becomes the link: artwork-source.99helpers.site
- 3
Publish and share
Create a free account — that step exists so the file is yours to update, replace or delete — and the link is live within seconds.
The same three steps work for any file — see how file hosting works on 99helpers.com.
What happens when someone opens the link
The file downloads and opens in GIMP. Browsers can't render it, and support outside GIMP is limited — so recipients essentially need GIMP.
Why host a XCF file instead of emailing it?
XCF files are large and GIMP users are often on the open-source end of things, where a plain URL is preferable to a proprietary sharing platform. A link works with no account on either side.
Worth knowing before you publish
- Host a PNG export alongside so people can see the artwork without opening GIMP.
- XCF files compress well — gzipping one before upload often halves it, and GIMP opens .xcf.gz directly.
- Photoshop can't open XCF; export to PSD if the recipient uses Adobe tools.
XCF hosting questions
- Can Photoshop open an XCF file?
- No. Export to PSD from GIMP if the recipient uses Photoshop — most layers and masks survive the conversion.
- How do I make an XCF file smaller?
- Save as .xcf.gz, which GIMP writes and reads natively. It often halves the size and hosts perfectly well here.
- Will it display in the browser?
- No, it downloads. Host a PNG export alongside so people can see the image.
Put your XCF file online now
It takes about ten seconds, and you only make an account once the file is ready to go live.
Hosting guides for related formats
XCF is one of over 211 formats you can host — see free file hosting for any file type for the full list, or read the hosting guides for other file types.