What Is a .pic File? .pic Format, MIME & How to Open

Quick facts

Extension.pic

File typePIC Image

MIME typeimage/x-pict

CategoryImage

Charset—

Compressible—

What is .pic

What is a .pic file?

A .pic file is a PIC Image. It is a raster or vector image format used for photos, web assets and design work.

In the mime-db registry it maps to image/x-pict. When serving .pic over HTTP, set the Content-Type header as shown in Developer info below.

Related entities: it maps to image/x-pict and is used by Pic among others — and is delivered over HTTP via the Content-Type header.

How to open .pic files

Use Photoshop or GIMP to open and edit .pic files.
Any text editor (Notepad, VS Code) can inspect the raw content as text.

Developer info

When served over HTTP, responses should set the following header:

Content-Type: image/x-pict

Common software that reads/writes .pic:

PhotoshopGIMPPaintPreview

Relation chain

.picextension of

format

PIC Imageserved as

mime type

image/x-pictsent via header

http header

Related extensions

Related MIME types

Related programming languages

Pic

.pic .chem

Common uses

Web graphics and photos
Design assets and icons
Print and photography

How to edit .pic files

Open the file with Photoshop, make your changes and save.
Most editors preserve the original formatting and encoding — avoid changing the charset.

How to create .pic files

Create a new file and save it with the .pic extension, or export this format from Photoshop.

Frequently asked questions

What programs can open .pic files?

Common options include Photoshop, GIMP, Paint. You can also open many of these files with built-in viewers or a browser.

How do I create a .pic file?

Create a new file in any text editor or the app that owns the format and save it with the .pic extension.

What is the relationship between .pic and the image/x-pict MIME type?

image/x-pict is the media type identifier used for .pic files during network transfer (for example in the HTTP Content-Type header).

Sources & standards

Updated 2026-08-18

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