What Is a PCT File?
A file with the PCT file extension is a Macintosh PICT image, and was the default file format for the (now discontinued) QuickDraw Mac program. Some applications still use the format, but PDF has all but replaced it. The image data in one of these picture files might be in the original PICT 1 format or the PICT 2 format introduced in Color QuickDraw. The first can store eight colors, while the second and newer format supports thousands of colors. Depending on the application that created it, the image with use either the PCT or the PICT file extension, but both are in the same format. If it’s not an image that you have, your PCT file could instead be a pure compound text file used by ChemSep.
How to Open a PCT File
While the QuickDraw program is discontinued, PCT files of both formats can be opened with several popular photo and graphics tools, some which you may already own or have installed. For example, pretty much every Adobe tool can get the job done, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and After Effects. In addition, apps like XnView, GIMP, Corel PaintShop Pro, Apple Preview, and probably most other popular graphics tools, also include support for the PICT 1 and PICT 2 formats. However, we recommend converting the file to a format that’s more popular and usable in modern image editors and viewers. That way, you can share it with others and be confident they’ll be able to open or edit it. You can read more about conversions in that section below. Use ChemSep to open the PCT file if it’s a chemical data file; use the Edit menu in PCDmanager (check out this ChemSep PDF tutorial on PCDmanager if you need help). A text editor might work, too.
How to Convert a PCT File
The easiest way to convert a PCT file to another image format is to use XnView. You can do this from the File > Save As or File > Export menu to convert to any number of other, more common, image formats. You might also have luck using one of the other openers linked above. Photoshop, for example, can save it to PNG, JPG, and several others. Another option is to upload the file to Online-Convert.com. That website gives you the option to save to formats like BMP and GIF. Being an online tool, this method works equally well on any operating system, whether it be Mac, Windows, Linux, etc. ChemSep is the program you need if conversions are even possible for that file type (we’re not sure).
Still Can’t Open It?
If your file doesn’t open even after trying all those suggestions above, check the file extension one more time. You might be confusing another format for the ones talked about on this page, which is easy to do considering how similar some file extensions are. For example, maybe you really have a PCD file, which could be a Kodak image or, confusingly, a ChemSep file. Check out that link if your file actually ends in that file extension. POT and POTX are similar examples. These are most likely MS PowerPoint templates, meaning they aren’t at all related to a picture format. Finally, there are PTC files that are used as a color swatches by PANTONE Color Manager. You can see how similar that suffix is to PCT, despite the formats having nothing in common.
