What File Converter is
The project describes File Converter as a very simple tool for converting and compressing files from the Windows Explorer context menu. The developer, who goes by Tichau, calls it a personal open source project started in 2014. It is licensed under the GPL version 3.
The workflow is simple. You right-click one file or several, choose File Converter, and pick a preset. MakeUseOf's reviewer says the converted file lands next to the original. Batch processing, customizable presets and options to keep, move or delete originals after conversion also appear in a third-party summary of the repository.
The right-click menu on Windows 11
MakeUseOf notes that on Windows 11 the entry may sit behind Show more options. A Microsoft Q&A answer confirms the behavior: the Windows 11 context menu doesn't show every option right away, and you can either click "show more" or use Shift + right-click for the extended options.
The simplest approach is to use one of those two methods. Registry edits that restore the old menu exist, but they're unnecessary for this purpose.
The format matrix: input vs. output
The official table splits formats into inputs and outputs per category. Don't read it as "everything converts to everything."
| Category | Output formats (per the wiki table) | Examples of accepted inputs |
|---|---|---|
| Audio | FLAC, AAC, OGG, MP3, WAV | MP4, MKV, MOV, WMA, APE, OPUS, M4B, CDA and more |
| Video | WEBM, MKV, MP4, OGV, AVI, GIF | 3GP, FLV, MPG, TS, VOB, WMV, RM and more |
| Image | PNG, JPG, ICO, WEBP | HEIC, PSD, SVG, TGA, EXR, camera RAW such as ARW, CR2, NEF, RAF |
| Document | Office and OpenDocument files, plus the image formats above |
Several details from the project's notes:
- Converting a video to an audio format extracts the video's audio track.
- MKV and MP4 outputs use the H.264 video encoder and AAC audio.
- AVI output uses Xvid video and MP3 audio.
- Converting Office documents requires Microsoft Office 2013 or newer. The wiki says "installed." The developer's itch.io page says "installed and activated." The two pages differ, so expect to need a working copy of Office.
The format list keeps growing
The wiki table can lag behind releases. The project's itch.io page lists AVIF as an image input and output. That matches the release notes for version 2.2, which say it added AVIF as a new image input and output format. Version 2.2 also added an AMD AMF hardware acceleration option for MP4/MKV H.264 conversions.
Version 2.1 added an option for NVIDIA hardware acceleration for MP4 video. Earlier releases brought in HEIC, RAW and other input formats. One release added image input formats including ARW, CR2, DDS, DNG, JFIF, NEF, RAF, TIF and HEIC.
If a conversion you need isn't on the wiki table, check the latest release notes before ruling it out.
Under the hood
The repository credits FFmpeg (v8.0.1) for conversion. ImageMagick (v14.10) handles images and Ghostscript (10.02.1) handles PDF work. Those are the versions listed on the page, and individual installers may differ. Reusing established engines is a sensible design choice. It also means format coverage and quality largely follow those tools.
Limitations to know about
- Output is narrower than input. For example, the wiki lists no HEVC/H.265 video output. The MakeUseOf reviewer reports HEVC output wasn't available, which fits the codec notes. Treat the reviewer's remark as his experience, not a full audit of the current release.
- Quality varies. The reviewer reports possible changes in size, sharpness or detail, especially with images and PDFs made from images. That is a hands-on impression, not a measured test. Keep your originals until you've checked the results, particularly for layout-sensitive PDFs.
- Office dependency. Document conversions depend on a local Office install.
- Installation is required. MakeUseOf says there is no official portable version, since the Explorer integration needs to be installed.
Who should consider it
File Converter suits people who convert files regularly and want that handled from Explorer without a web upload or an ad-heavy tool. Typical jobs are turning a screen recording into MP4, an iPhone HEIC photo into JPG or PNG, or a video into an MP3. Advanced users can edit presets, and the project's changelog documents custom preset support.
It isn't a replacement for professional encoding tools or desktop publishing software. If your job needs a specific codec, a particular RAW output or precise PDF layout, check that exact conversion path first.
Bottom line
The documentation backs up the headline claim: the list of accepted input formats is long, and it keeps growing with releases. The caveats are that outputs are limited, Office conversion needs Office installed, and quality depends on the file and the engine. It is free, open source and actively maintained. A quick test on a copy of one of your own files will tell you whether it fits.
Update: Reviewer reports Office conversion failures (October 29, 2026)
ZDNET’s Lance Whitney reports that File Converter failed to convert Word, Excel and PowerPoint files in his testing: the conversion window closed without an error or an output file. He also found similar reports on the project’s GitHub page, though the cause and affected versions are not confirmed. Users relying on Office-to-PDF conversion may want to test it before depending on it.