Quick answer: Right-click the BMP file, choose Open with > Paint, then click File > Save as > JPEG picture, pick a folder and click Save. That creates a JPG copy and leaves the original BMP untouched. To convert many files at once, use the short PowerShell command below. Don’t just rename the extension: that doesn’t change the file’s format.
Applies to: Windows 11 and Windows 10. Everything here is built in; no download is needed.
In this guide
Convert one BMP with Paint
- Right-click the
.bmpfile and choose Open with > Paint. On Windows 11 you may need to click Show more options first, or open Paint and use File > Open. - Click File, point to Save as, and choose JPEG picture.
- Choose where to save it, keep or change the name, and click Save.
- If Paint warns that saving may reduce quality or remove transparency, click OK.
Paint saves JPGs at a fixed quality that’s fine for photos, screenshots and documents. Your original BMP stays where it was, so delete it yourself once you’ve checked the JPG.
Convert with the Photos app
Double-click the BMP to open it in Photos. In recent versions of the Windows 11 Photos app, click the … (See more) menu and choose Save as, then pick JPG as the file type. If your version of Photos has no Save as option, use Paint instead.
Convert a whole folder with PowerShell
For dozens of files, let PowerShell do it. Open the folder in File Explorer, click the address bar, type powershell and press Enter. Then paste this and press Enter:
Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Drawing
Get-ChildItem *.bmp | ForEach-Object {
$img = [System.Drawing.Image]::FromFile($_.FullName)
$img.Save(($_.FullName -replace '\.bmp$', '.jpg'), [System.Drawing.Imaging.ImageFormat]::Jpeg)
$img.Dispose()
}Each photo.bmp gets a photo.jpg next to it, and the BMP files are kept. No administrator rights are needed. Check a few of the JPGs before deleting the originals.
JPG, PNG or BMP: which to keep
- BMP is uncompressed, so files are large. It’s rarely needed today except by a few older programs.
- JPG is much smaller and ideal for photos and email attachments, but it’s lossy: each save drops a little detail, and sharp text can look fuzzy.
- PNG is lossless and better for screenshots, diagrams and anything with text. If a JPG looks blurry, save as PNG picture in Paint instead.
If you’re converting images to put them in Office files, see how to insert a picture into Excel or turn it into data.
If the conversion doesn’t work
- “Paint cannot read this file”: the file may be damaged or not really a BMP. Check its real type in the file’s Properties, or try opening it in Photos.
- Renamed file won’t open: if someone changed
.bmpto.jpgby renaming, rename it back and convert it properly with Paint. - You can’t see the extension: in File Explorer, choose View > Show > File name extensions (Windows 11) or tick File name extensions on the View tab (Windows 10).
- PowerShell says access is denied: the folder may be protected, such as one inside
C:\Program Files. Copy the images to your Pictures folder and run the command there.
Recording your screen instead of taking still images? See how to record video on screen in Windows.
Related guides
- Picture to Excel: convert an image to data or insert a picture
- How to record video on screen in Windows
- Free file recovery for Windows
Official sources: for the PowerShell method, see Microsoft’s documentation:
Frequently asked questions
Does converting BMP to JPG reduce quality?
Slightly, because JPG is compressed. For photos the difference is hard to see. For screenshots or text, PNG keeps every pixel.
Can I just rename .bmp to .jpg?
No. Renaming only changes the label, not the data inside. Some apps will refuse to open the file or show it wrongly.
Is there a free BMP to JPG converter for Windows?
You don’t need one. Paint and Photos are built in, and the PowerShell command handles whole folders.
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