GIMP native image file format
The Experimental Computing Facility, or XCF for short, is the file format that GIMP uses as its native format. This file format includes every layer and selection of any image, channels and more. The use of XCF as a data interchange format is not recommend by GIMP's developers.
XCF extension file is a Raster image file format that is used by the GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is a freeware image editing software application that has features similar to Adobe Photoshop.
In Gimp, you can export to Photoshop format easily. Open your XCF file in GIMP and click File > Export. Choose "Photoshop Image" (PSD) as the file format, and hit Export. In our own testing, this will keep the appropriate layers intact.
XCF files created from any version of GIMP can be opened with the latest version. IrfanView, XnView, Inkscape, Paint.NET, CinePaint, digiKam, Krita, Seashore, and several other image editors/viewers also work with XCF files and convert them to another format.
You might want to convert an XCF file to JPG format for several reasons, including sharing with someone, storing many files, and compatibility with websites or online platforms that do not support XCF files or for printing. Remember that converting an XCF file to JPG will result in losing some image quality and metadata. Therefore, it is advisable to keep a backup of the original XCF file in case you need to edit it again in the future.
Follow this easy four-step process to convert your images.
Choose one of the hundred image formats, available on our site.
Upload your files using an easy-to-use drag-and-drop uploader interface.
Batch convert uploaded files to the format you need.
Download each converted file separately, or as one zip archive.