Vector
What is a WMF file?
WMF (Windows Metafile) is a vector graphics format built into Windows, used for clipart and simple line art in older office documents. It stores drawing instructions rather than pixels, so images stay sharp at any size. Its main limitation is age: WMF is a Windows-only legacy format that many modern apps and non-Windows systems handle poorly or not at all.
- Extension
- .wmf
- Type
- Vector
- Typically
- Windows clipart, Office graphics
- Transparency
- None
Why WMF exists
WMF dates back to early versions of Windows, where it served as the standard way for programs to record a sequence of drawing commands, lines, shapes, text, and fills, so they could be replayed later at any size. It became the default format for clipart libraries and simple diagrams bundled with Windows and older business software.
Because it stores instructions instead of a grid of pixels, a WMF image scales up or down without going blurry, which made it a natural fit for logos and icons dropped into documents and presentations. Under the hood it's tied closely to the Windows graphics engine of the time, which is part of why it aged awkwardly once computing moved beyond that platform.
Most people run into WMF today by opening an old document or slide deck and finding an image their current software either renders oddly or refuses to open. Newer formats like EMF and SVG replaced it for new work, so converting an old WMF file into something like PNG or SVG is usually the fastest way to actually use the image again.
The trade-offs
Strengths
- Vector based, so it scales without losing quality
- Small file size for simple line art and clipart
- Was built into Windows, so it opened natively for decades
Watch-outs
- Windows-specific format with weak support elsewhere
- Many current apps and non-Windows systems can't open it
- Superseded by EMF and SVG for anything new
- Rendering can look inconsistent between different programs
A note on privacy
WMF files don't typically carry the kind of personal metadata that photos do, but they can still embed the raw drawing commands and, in some cases, leftover data from the program that created them. Running an old WMF through an online converter means uploading that file to someone else's server just to view a clipart image. Converting it on your own machine keeps the file, and whatever is inside it, off the internet entirely.
Convert a WMF file
Questions
How do I open a WMF file?
Older Windows software often opens WMF directly, but current image viewers and non-Windows systems usually can't. Converting it to PNG or SVG makes it viewable almost anywhere.
Is WMF better than SVG?
No. SVG is the modern, widely supported vector format for the web and current apps. WMF is a legacy Windows format kept alive mainly by old documents that still reference it.
Why do my old documents have WMF images?
Older versions of Windows and office software used WMF as their default clipart and drawing format, so documents built years ago often still embed it.
Can I convert WMF without uploading it?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts WMF to PNG, SVG, or other formats on your own computer, so the file never leaves your machine.
Morphjet opens and converts WMF, one of 2,748 conversions it runs on your own computer. Coming soon.