Data file
What is a .ppm file?
A .ppm file is a Portable Pixel Map - ASCII. This is a data file — structured information used by a program rather than read directly. Confusingly, this extension has been used by 2 different formats over the years — they're all listed below.
This extension has been used by more than one format
2 different formats have claimed .ppm over the years, so two files with the same extension aren't necessarily the same kind of thing.
How to open a .ppm file
- Start with the program that produced it; that's almost always the right tool.
- Open it in a text editor to see whether it's readable text or binary.
- For database formats, DB Browser for SQLite or LibreOffice Base can often import it.
The registry records this extension against Portable Pixel Map - ASCII, Portable Pixel Map - Binary, so software from that family is the most likely match.
How to convert a .ppm file
- If you can view the data, exporting to .csv is usually the most portable option.
MIME type
When a .ppm file travels over the web, servers label it with this MIME type:
image/x-portable-pixmapThe technical record
For archivists, developers and the merely curious: these are the PRONOM registry entries for .ppm.
| Format name | Version | MIME type | PUID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portable Pixel Map - ASCII | — | image/x-portable-pixmap | x-fmt/178 |
| Portable Pixel Map - Binary | — | — | fmt/408 |