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CUR to PNG

Details

How to use CUR to PNG

What the tool does, how to run it, and what to expect from the result.

How to convert a CUR file to PNG

To convert CUR to PNG, add one cursor file and the tool decodes the embedded image, shows it on screen, and lets you export a PNG. Because conversion runs in your browser, the file stays on your device and is never uploaded.

Alongside the image you can inspect the hotspot, the pixel a cursor clicks from, which is useful when you are documenting or recreating a cursor as an image.

  • Add one .cur cursor file
  • Inspect the decoded image and hotspot
  • Export the PNG locally

What this converter covers

This page is intentionally narrow and honest: it decodes one cursor file, lets you inspect the raster image and hotspot, and exports a PNG. It is not a cursor editor and does not convert PNG back into a .cur file.

It supports the practical cursor entries this wave is designed around, PNG-backed and 32-bit BMP-backed cursors, rather than every legacy cursor encoding ever shipped on Windows.

Tips

Getting a better result out of CUR to PNG

Specific settings and thresholds, not general advice.

  • The hotspot is the one piece of information a PNG cannot carry. The panel shows the X and Y coordinates read from the cursor's directory entry, so write them down before you close the tab: in CSS you reapply them as cursor: url(pointer.png) 4 2, auto, where 4 and 2 are exactly those numbers.
  • A CUR file is structurally an ICO with a different type field and with the two bytes that hold color-plane data reused to store the hotspot coordinates. That is why the same decoder handles both, and why a mislabelled .ico sometimes opens here.
  • Only PNG-backed entries and 32-bit uncompressed BMP entries decode. Most classic Windows cursors from theme packs are 4-bit or 8-bit palette bitmaps, so they will be listed with an explanation rather than exported. That is a property of the source file, not something you can toggle.
  • Animated cursors are .ani files, a RIFF container that happens to hold cursor frames. They are not CUR files and will not open here, even after renaming the extension.
  • If the destination is a CSS cursor, keep the artwork small. Browsers cap custom cursor images and Chrome ignores anything over 128 by 128, so a 32 by 32 export is the practical target.
Limits

What CUR to PNG does not do

The honest boundary, so you do not lose time finding it yourself.

  • Decode only. There is no PNG-to-CUR direction and no hotspot editing.
  • No .ani animated cursor support.
  • Palette-based BMP entries (1, 4, 8, and 24-bit) are not decoded.
  • One selected entry per export, one file per run.
At a glance

Who CUR to PNG is for

A quick way to understand who this helps, what it solves, and where it connects next.

Best fit

People checking old cursor files, reusing cursor artwork, or converting cursors into normal raster assets.

Ideal for

Getting one PNG out of a browser-supported CUR file without touching a cursor editor.

FAQ

Common questions

Short answers for the questions people usually have before trying a utility like this.

Is the CUR to PNG converter free?

Yes. This CUR to PNG converter is free to use, with no account or sign-up.

Is my cursor file uploaded?

No. The converter runs entirely in your browser, so your .cur file stays on your device and is never uploaded.

Can I edit the hotspot or convert PNG back to CUR?

No. This tool only decodes CUR files and exports PNG; it does not edit hotspots or convert PNG back to .cur.

Does it support every legacy cursor encoding?

No. It supports the practical PNG-backed and 32-bit BMP-backed cursor entries, which cover most modern .cur files.

Does the PNG keep transparency?

Yes. The exported PNG preserves the cursor's transparency so it stays clean against any background.

What happens to the hotspot when I export?

It is lost, because PNG has no field for it. The tool reads it out of the cursor's directory entry and displays it in the panel so you can record it. If you plan to use the image as a CSS cursor or rebuild the .cur later, copy those two numbers before you leave the page.

My cursor file will not decode. Why?

Almost certainly because it is a palette bitmap. Classic Windows cursors are usually 4-bit or 8-bit color with a 1-bit mask, and this decoder handles PNG entries and 32-bit uncompressed BMP entries only. The entry is still listed with its size, so you can at least see what the file contains.

Can I convert a PNG back into a .cur?

No. This page only goes one direction. Building a cursor means writing a CUR container with hotspot coordinates in the directory, which is a different tool. For web use you rarely need one: CSS accepts a PNG plus hotspot numbers directly.

Does it open .ani animated cursors?

No. Despite the similar purpose, .ani is a RIFF container with a completely different structure, and the parser here validates the ICO and CUR header before it does anything else. An .ani renamed to .cur will be rejected.

Is the cursor file uploaded?

No. The container is parsed and the bitmap is decoded byte by byte in your browser, which is worth knowing if the .cur came from an old theme pack or a binary you would rather not send to a stranger's server.

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