What is a 4-bit image?

4 bits per pixel = 16 possible colors, selected from a palette stored in the file header. This was the standard for early Windows (3.x) graphics. Modern images use 24-bit (16.7 million colors).

Can modern tools open 4-bit BMP?

Yes. All image viewers and libraries handle 4-bit BMP correctly — it's part of the BMP spec. Test it to ensure your tool doesn't assume all BMPs are 24-bit.

4-bit BMP — 16-Color Legacy Bitmap

Download a free 4-bit BMP (320×240, 16 colors). A legacy palette-based bitmap from the Windows 3.x era — test that your image processing pipeline correctly handles indexed-color BMP with color palettes.

sample-4bit.bmp

225 KB

320×240 · 4-bit

bmp

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