TGA to PNG Converter
Convert TGA (Targa) images to PNG with transparency kept. Files stay on your device.
Drag & Drop files here
or click to select files
Best under 50MB / 50 files
Related Image Tools
This TGA to PNG converter turns Targa files into PNG images that any viewer, browser or editor can open. Both formats are lossless, so the picture and its alpha channel come through unchanged, and the PNG is usually the smaller file. Add one TGA or a whole folder of textures and download them together as a ZIP.
Which TGA Files It Reads
| TGA type | Supported | Result in PNG |
|---|---|---|
| 32-bit true colour with alpha | Yes | Colour with transparency |
| 24-bit true colour | Yes | Opaque colour |
| 15 and 16-bit true colour | Yes | Opaque colour |
| 8-bit greyscale | Yes | Greyscale |
| Colour-mapped (palette) | Yes | Colour |
| RLE-compressed versions of the above | Yes | Same as uncompressed |
RLE, or run-length encoding, is TGA's optional compression. It stores a run of identical pixels as one pixel and a count, which loses nothing. The converter also reads the header flag that says whether the image is stored bottom-up or top-down, so the PNG is not flipped.
What Changes When TGA Becomes PNG
- Pixels: nothing changes. The conversion is lossless in both colour and alpha.
- File size: usually smaller. An uncompressed 1024 × 1024 TGA with alpha is about 4 MB whatever it shows, and the same image as a PNG is often a fraction of that.
- Compatibility: PNG opens in every browser, operating system and editor. TGA needs specialist software.
- Extra data: a TGA's optional footer fields, such as author name and comments, are not carried over.
Where TGA Files Come From
Truevision introduced the format in 1984 with its TARGA video boards, and it has outlived the hardware by decades. Game engines and modding tools still export textures as TGA, because the format is simple to read and carries a clean alpha channel. Valve's Source engine tools take TGA as the source format for textures, and 3D software often renders animation as a numbered sequence of TGA frames. If your files are DirectX textures and not Targa, use the DDS to PNG Converter. For a smaller file with no transparency, there is the TGA to JPG Converter.
How to Convert TGA to PNG
- Add your files: drag the TGA files into the box above or click to choose them.
- Wait for the preview: each file is converted as soon as it is added.
- Download: save a single PNG, or use Download All to get every file in one ZIP.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a TGA file?
TGA, or Targa, is an image format created by Truevision in 1984 for its graphics cards. It stores pixels with little or no compression and was one of the first formats with an alpha channel for transparency, which is why game textures, 3D renders and video frames are still saved in it.
Is TGA to PNG conversion lossless?
Yes. A TGA stores its pixels either raw or with lossless run-length compression, and PNG is lossless too, so every pixel in the PNG matches the TGA. The file usually gets smaller, because PNG compresses better.
Does the PNG keep the alpha channel?
Yes. A 32-bit TGA has an 8-bit alpha channel, and it is copied to the PNG's alpha channel unchanged. A 24-bit TGA has no transparency, so its PNG is fully opaque.
Why does my TGA look upside down in some programs?
A TGA can store its rows from the bottom up or from the top down, and a flag in the file header says which. Software that ignores the flag shows the image flipped. This converter reads the flag, so the PNG comes out the right way up.
How do I open a TGA file without converting it?
Photoshop, GIMP, Paint.NET, Krita and IrfanView all open TGA. The default photo viewers on Windows and macOS and web browsers generally do not, which is the usual reason for converting to PNG.
Should I convert TGA to PNG or to JPG?
PNG, if the image has transparency or will be edited again, because nothing is lost. JPG gives a much smaller file but removes the alpha channel and compresses with some loss, which suits a finished picture you only need to share.