Image
What is a .xwd file?
A .xwd file is a SDSC Image Tool X Window Dump Format. This is an image format — a picture, drawing or graphic. Confusingly, this extension has been used by 3 different formats over the years — they're all listed below.
This extension has been used by more than one format
3 different formats have claimed .xwd over the years, so two files with the same extension aren't necessarily the same kind of thing.
How to open a .xwd file
- GIMP (free) and IrfanView open a very wide range of image formats, including obsolete ones.
- XnView MP is the best bet for unusual or legacy image types.
- Your operating system's built-in viewer may work for mainstream formats.
The registry records this extension against SDSC Image Tool X Window Dump Format, X-Windows Screen Dump File, X-Windows Screen Dump, so software from that family is the most likely match.
How to convert a .xwd file
- Open it in GIMP or XnView and export as .png (lossless) or .jpg (smaller).
MIME type
When a .xwd file travels over the web, servers label it with this MIME type:
image/x-xwindowdumpThe technical record
For archivists, developers and the merely curious: these are the PRONOM registry entries for .xwd.
| Format name | Version | MIME type | PUID |
|---|---|---|---|
| SDSC Image Tool X Window Dump Format | — | — | x-fmt/209 |
| X-Windows Screen Dump File | X10 | image/x-xwindowdump | x-fmt/300 |
| X-Windows Screen Dump | X11 | — | fmt/401 |