Why won't my XWD file display in the browser?

No browser supports it — browsers render PNG, JPEG, GIF, WebP, AVIF, SVG and BMP, and nothing else. The file downloads instead and needs an image editor.

How do I convert XWD to PNG?

ImageMagick: convert screenshot.xwd screenshot.png. GIMP opens XWD too.

Why not just take a PNG screenshot?

You generally should. XWD turns up when xwd is the only capture tool available, typically on a headless or minimal system.

Host an XWD file and share it as a link

Put an X Window screen dump online at its own address — screenshots from Unix systems.

You can host:

Drop your XWD file here

Any other file works too — up to 25.0 MB, or 100.0 MB for a whole site

Free to use. Your XWD file is live at your-name.99helpers.site in about ten seconds.

What is a .xwd file?

XWD is what the X Window System's xwd utility produces when it dumps a window's contents — a raw screenshot format from Unix systems, uncompressed and rarely seen outside that context.

What people use XWD files for

Screenshots from X Window System sessions
Automated capture in Unix scripts
Bug reports from Linux desktops

What opens a XWD file

ImageMagick and GIMP
xwud, the X Window undump utility
No browser displays XWD

How to host a XWD file

1
Drop your XWD 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: screenshot.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 — no browser supports XWD.

Why host a XWD file instead of emailing it?

Screenshots from a server or a headless session need sharing, and hosting one gets it to whoever is debugging.

Worth knowing before you publish

Convert to PNG immediately — it's what everyone else can open.
ImageMagick converts XWD in one command.
Uncompressed, so files are much larger than the equivalent PNG.

XWD hosting questions

Why won't my XWD file display in the browser?: No browser supports it — browsers render PNG, JPEG, GIF, WebP, AVIF, SVG and BMP, and nothing else. The file downloads instead and needs an image editor.
How do I convert XWD to PNG?: ImageMagick: convert screenshot.xwd screenshot.png. GIMP opens XWD too.
Why not just take a PNG screenshot?: You generally should. XWD turns up when xwd is the only capture tool available, typically on a headless or minimal system.

Put your XWD file online now

It takes about ten seconds, and you only make an account once the file is ready to go live.

Back to the top

Hosting guides for related formats

Host a PNG image Host a BMP image Host a Netpbm image (PNM)Host a TIFF image Host a log file

XWD 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.