{"id":7198,"date":"2020-01-09T00:56:26","date_gmt":"2020-01-09T00:56:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/?p=7198"},"modified":"2022-02-04T10:50:11","modified_gmt":"2022-02-04T10:50:11","slug":"recover-formatted-bmp-file-windows-mac-os-x","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/what-is-bmp.html","title":{"rendered":"What is the BMP File Format and How to Recover Deleted BMP Files"},"content":{"rendered":"

Did you accidentally format your device? Or have you lost your BMP file and aren’t sure how to recover it? Well, fret not. Our step-wise guide will help you retrieve your files without any hassles. Losing your data due to unexpected shutdowns, malware attacks, etc., isn’t uncommon, and this article will take you through various available data recovery methods. Even if you’re an amateur, you can follow these solutions to restore your BMP files in the blink of an eye.<\/p>\r\n

<\/span>What is the BMP File Type<\/span><\/h2>\r\n

Microsoft’s Bitmap file format or BMP extension is a raster graphics image format compatible with Windows and other major systems. It is also known as a Device Independent Bitmap (DIB) file because it contains uncompressed image data so that the image quality doesn’t become distorted on different devices.<\/p>\r\n

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Originally developed by Microsoft, the BMP file extension<\/a> is most commonly used to store data as 2D images in monochrome and color formats with varying color depths. The file format has had a long evolution, and at present, there are various existing versions of the BMP file type. However, Windows 3.0 (or version 3) has been the most stable format of the lot, and succeeding versions of the BMP extension have been based on it.<\/p>\r\n

🌈 To completely understand the function of BMP files, one must be familiar with bitmaps or raster graphics. Essentially, they are defined as a grid of individual pixels that compose an image together. Each pixel has a specific color depth, determined by the number of bits per pixel.<\/div>\r\n

Further, the data stored in a BMP file is characterized by the following specifications \u2013 a file header, a DIB information header, file size and dimensions, an optional data compression method, a color palette, etc. Moreover, information about the raw pixel image data and adjustable ICC Color Profile data comes in handy to exchange bitmaps or files in the BMP format between devices.<\/p>\r\n

While these files might be large because of the uncompressed data stored in them, the extremely high-quality images provided by the BMP file format is perhaps why it was so popular.<\/p>\r\n

<\/span>What is BMP File Format Used For<\/span><\/h3>\r\n

When Microsoft initially developed the BMP file extension, it had been used to prevent image distortion on various systems. Since these DIB files are independent of a graphic adapter, they can work on several operating systems or devices while preserving image quality.<\/p>\r\n

Due to these reasons, BMP became the standard image format for popular applications like MS Paint and its alternatives on Mac. This was primarily because BMP files contained all the uncompressed image data and didn’t need external, third-party software for compatibility.<\/p>\r\n

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However, in recent years the BMP file format has become somewhat redundant. Because of their large file size, BMP files aren’t the most suitable for transferring and sharing over the internet. Thus, people convert BMP files to PNG, JPEG, etc. While these files are compressed, they are easily shareable.<\/p>\r\n

📷 Here’s a super simple guide on how to recover deleted, corrupted JPEGs.<\/a><\/div>\r\n

Still, a significant advantage of the BMP format is that file corruption or loss becomes less likely since it retains all the image data. In contrast, other image formats can experience these issues due to data compression. But in case you end up losing your valuable BMP file, you can rely on the various solutions available in the market to help retrieve it.<\/p>\r\n

💬 Let\u2019s go through some of the most effective data-recovery methods that can work for you.<\/div>\r\n

<\/span>How to Recover Deleted BMP Files<\/span><\/h2>\r\n

There’s a wide variety of data recovery solutions available in the market to help get back your lost or deleted BMP file. Though the process can appear a little intimidating and technical at first, some of these tools can make your life easy. They are pretty efficient and straightforward and can work across multiple data-loss situations.<\/p>\r\n

Having said that, it could be helpful to keep certain pointers in mind while working with your BMP files. While recovery methods can simplify file retrieval, these best practices can ensure successful restoration. Some of them are:<\/p>\r\n