BMP: Bitmap Image File

Overview

BMP (Bitmap) is a raster image format developed by Microsoft for the Windows operating system. Introduced with Windows 1.0 in 1985, BMP stores digital images without compression, preserving every pixel of the original image.

Despite its large file sizes, BMP remains popular for its simplicity and universal Windows support. The format is device-independent, making it reliable for various applications where image quality cannot be compromised.

History

BMP was introduced with Windows 1.0 in 1985 and has evolved alongside the Windows operating system.

• 1985: Introduced with Windows 1.0
• 1990: Windows 3.0 extended BMP support
• 1993: OS/2 2.0 introduced enhanced BMP
• 1995: Windows 95 made BMP the standard wallpaper format
• Present: Still used for system graphics and simple images

Key Features

• Uncompressed image storage
• Support for 1, 4, 8, 16, 24, and 32-bit color
• Device-independent format
• Simple file structure
• Native Windows support
• Optional RLE compression
• Alpha channel support (32-bit)
• No quality loss

Common Uses

• Windows wallpapers: Desktop background images
• System graphics: Icons and UI elements
• Simple graphics: Logos and basic images
• Screen captures: Windows screenshot tool
• Image processing: Intermediate format in editing
• Legacy applications: Older Windows software

Advantages

• Perfect image quality (uncompressed)
• Universal Windows support
• Simple file structure
• No patent restrictions
• Easy to implement
• No generation loss
• Fast to decode

Limitations

• Extremely large file sizes
• No compression (except optional RLE)
• Limited web support
• Not suitable for photographs
• No metadata support
• Inefficient for storage and transmission

Technical Information

BMP stores images as a bitmap array where each pixel's color is directly encoded without compression.

Technical Specifications