All about BW Files

The BW file type is primarily associated with ImageMagick.

BW	File extension: BW
	File type:	black and white bitmap image

What is a BW file

BW files mostly belong to ImageMagick by ImageMagick. BW filename extension is associated with black and white images saved in the Silicon Graphics Image (SGI) file format used to store images on Silicon Graphics high-end workstations. A BW image may be run-length encoded (compressed) or uncompressed. Media software such as ImageMagick may be used to view BW images on other platforms. BW filename extension is also associated with the bigWig track format used to store dense, genome continuous datasets in an indexed binary format used by UCSC's Genome Browser.

How to open a BW file

You need a suitable software like ImageMagick to open a BW file. Without proper software you will receive a Windows message "How do you want to open this file?" or "Windows cannot open this file" or a similar Mac/iPhone/Android alert. If you cannot open your BW file correctly, try to right-click or long-press the file. Then click "Open with" and choose an application. You can also display a BW file directly in the browser:. Just drag the file onto this browser window and drop it.

Online BW File Viewer

Choose your .bw file to view this image

or drag and drop it here

Online File Viewer

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How to convert BW files to JPG, PNG, SVG, PDF, ...

If you want to convert or edit a BW file, you can use our free Online BW File Converter (powered by Convert.Guru):

Just click the "Choose your .bw file to view this image" button on this page.
Your BW file will then be displayed in the browser.
Now click on "Save as..." at the top of the page.
Then choose the image format (e.g. JPG, PNG, TIFF, PDF, ...) you want.
Your file will be converted and downloaded.

Programs that open and convert BW files:

ImageMagick by ImageMagick
See the previous paragraphs to learn more about the main application. BW files are often referred to as ImageMagick raster images because this type of file is primarily created or used by this software.
FFmpeg (black and white bitmap image) by FFmpeg Team
FFmpeg is a free and open-source media file conversion software with an extensive library of codecs for transcoding various image, video, audio, 3D, and animation file formats. You may convert BW images to JPG and other standard image file formats with FFmpeg. This file format is classified as Raster Image. Related links: Silicon Graphics Image
Genome Browser (dataset) by UCSC
Genome Browser is an online data visualization tool for viewing the genome sequence data of various organisms (vertebrates and invertebrates). Genome sequence datasets created by various programs are stored in BW files using bigWig track binary format. These datasets can be displayed as a graph in Genome Browser. This file format is classified as Data. Related links: bigWig Track Format
SQLite (data) by SQLite
SQLite is a cross-platform, embedded relational database management system. The entire database is distributed as a C library capable of implementing most SQL functions and saving data to files or in-memory. BW file format associated with version 3 of this database tool. This file format is classified as Database.

BW format details:

Every file has a defined file format, i.e. how the data is arranged in the file. Often, the file format can be deduced from the file extension or the initial bytes (called the signature). Nonetheless, different programs can utilize the same file extension to represent distinct file formats. Double-clicking on the file often results in an error when opening. When there is a problem with a file, the first step to solving it is to determine the file format. Our analysis of the BW files produces the following result:

The BW file type is a very commonly used file extension and is used by different programs with different formats. However, the following two file formats are common:

55% of all BW files belong to bigWig Track Format. These files are binary files, so they do not contain text, but only cryptic characters. The average file size is 87 MB with most files being between 390 KB and 330 MB in size. The file type was developed only in the last few years. These files can be linked to sorted, coverage, input, minus, chip, control, norm and plus.
25% of all BW files have the same signature bst00000. The content consists of illegible binary data, which can only be read and interpreted by the associated programs. Most of these files are 5 KB to 14 MB in size. The following keywords are characteristic: bst000001. Examples of file names are 2020-06-01 10-30.bw.

All other BW files (20%) have different formats, often, for example, Silicon Graphics B/W bitmap and SQL. Files like these are sometimes linked to caust, dress, atac, chipseq, strand, shirt or sort. Drag & drop your file here to see the file format and a preview of your BW file!

Technical Data for BW File Extension

File classification:

Raster Image

Related files:

bigwig, bwfile, bwreg, bwregrequest, tar, zip, sqlite, bw1, jpg, png, gz, tiff, txt, crdownload, zvi, tif, bai, xlsx, pdf, nii, uyvy, mvg, miff

Related links:

XnView, Silicon Graphics Image

Mime type:

application/octet-stream, image/sgi, image/x-rgb

The following listing is compiled from the database produced by the 'Associate This!' program, selected data from the main FILExt database and file extension information submitted by users.

ProgramID: ACDSee.BW, FileType: ACDSee BW Image, AppName: ACDSee for Windows 95/98/2000/NT

ProgramID: ACDSee.bw, FileType: ACDSee SGI Image, AppName: ACDSee

ProgramID: ACDSee6.bw, FileType: ACDSee6 SGI Image, AppName: ACDSee 6.0 Application
EXEFile: ACDSee6.exe

ProgramID: ACDSee6.bw, FileType: ACDSee6 SGI Image, AppName: ACDSee Application

ProgramID: FotoCanvas2.BW, FileType: FotoCanvas BW Image, AppName: FotoCanvas2
EXEFile: FotoCanvas2.exe

ProgramID: GraphicsConverterPro.bw, FileType: Silicon Graphics RGB, AppName: GraphicsConverter-reg
EXEFile: GraphicsConverter.exe

ProgramID: PaintShopPro8.Image, FileType: Paint Shop Pro Image, AppName: Paint Shop Pro 8
EXEFile: Paint Shop Pro.exe

ProgramID: PSP7.Image, FileType: Paint Shop Pro 7 Image, AppName: Paint Shop Pro 7
EXEFile: psp.exe

ProgramID: SlowView SGI, AppName: SlowView
EXEFile: SlowView.exe

ProgramID: ACDC_BW
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ACDSee32\ACDSee32.exe /v

ProgramID: ACDSee 6.0.bw
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ACD Systems\ACDSee\6.0\ACDSee6.exe %1

ProgramID: ACDSee 7.0.bw
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ACD Systems\ACDSee\7.0\ACDSee7.exe %1

ProgramID: ACDSee.bw
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ACD Systems\ACDSee\5.0\ACDSee5.exe %1

ProgramID: ACDSee.BW
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ACD Systems\ACDSee\ACDSee.exe /dde

ProgramID: ACDSee.BW
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ACD\ACDSee\ACDSee.exe /dde

ProgramID: ACDSee.BW
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ACDSYS~1\ACDSEE\ACDSEE.EXE /dde

ProgramID: ACDSee.BW
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\HEWLET~1\PHOTOS~1\ACDSys\ACD\ACDSee\ACDSee.exe /dde

ProgramID: ACDSee6.bw
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ACD Systems\ACDSee\6.0\ACDSee6.exe %1

ProgramID: BW_UV
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Advanced Image Viewer and Converter\ImgViewer.exe %1

ProgramID: PaintShopPro8.Image
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Jasc Software Inc\Paint Shop Pro 8\Paint Shop Pro.exe /dde

ProgramID: PaintShopPro9.Image
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Jasc Software Inc\Paint Shop Pro 9\Paint Shop Pro 9.exe /dde

ProgramID: PSP7.Image
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Jasc Software Inc\Paint Shop Pro 7\psp.exe /dde

ProgramID: PSP7.Image
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Paint Shop Pro 7\psp.exe /dde

ProgramID: qbwFile
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Intuit\QUICKB~1\qbw32.exe %1

ProgramID: FotoCanvas2.BW
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ACD Systems\FotoCanvas\2.0\FotoCanvas2.exe /dde

ProgramID: SmartPixImage
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Smart Pix Manager\SmartPix.exe %1

ProgramID: UltimatePaint
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\UP\upaint.exe %1

ProgramID: XnView.Image
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\XnView\xnview.exe %1

ProgramID: ACDSee 7.0.bw
EXEFile: %SystemRoot%\Program Files\ACD Systems\ACDSee\7.0\ACDSee7.exe %1

ProgramID: ACDSee.BW
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ACDSYS~1\ACDSEE~1\ACDSEE.EXE /dde

ProgramID: ACDSee 8.0.bw
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ACD Systems\ACDSee\8.0\ACDSee8.exe %1

ProgramID: Brennigs.SGI
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Brennig's\bgs.exe %1

ProgramID: PaintShopProX.Image
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Corel\Corel Paint Shop Pro X\Paint Shop Pro X.exe

ProgramID: ACDSee Pro.bw
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ACD Systems\ACDSee\8.0.Pro\ACDSee8Pro.exe

ProgramID: SnapfireI.Image
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Corel\Corel Snapfire Plus\Corel Snapfire.exe

ProgramID: PhotoFiltre.Sgi
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\_Graphix\Suites\PhotoFiltre\PhotoFiltre.exe

ProgramID: GIMP-2.0-sgi
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Gimp-2.0\bin\gimp-2.6.exe

Show all 37 listings To Top

a bw black and white bitmap image is a special file format by ImageMagick and should only be edited and saved with the appropriate software.

How to solve problems with BW files

Associate the BW file extension with the correct application.
Update your software that should actually open black and white bitmap images. Because only the current version supports the latest BW file format. Search, therefore, e.g. on the ImageMagick manufacturer website after an available ImageMagick update.
To make sure that your BW file is not corrupted or virus-infected, get the file again and scan it with Google's virustotal.com.
Click here to open your .BW file online - secure, fast, and no downloads needed.