# Picmal

> Picmal is a native macOS application for batch converting and compressing images, videos, audio files, and PDFs. It processes files entirely offline for privacy, supports drag-and-drop workflows, and integrates with Finder via right-click context menu options.

> Last updated: 2026-08-30

Picmal is designed for Mac users who need to convert media files quickly without uploading to cloud services. Key features include:

- Batch processing of thousands of files at once
- 100% offline processing (no data leaves your Mac)
- Finder integration via Quick Actions and the Services menu (right-click to convert/compress)
- Support for 30+ image formats including HEIC, WebP, AVIF, PNG, JPG, TIFF, JXL, SVG, ICNS, ICO
- Video and audio conversion and compression, with hardware H.264/HEVC encoding on any Mac
- PDF compression that re-encodes only the images inside and keeps text selectable
- PDF tools: combine PDFs, split by page range, images to PDF, reorder and delete pages
- Video tools: combine several clips into one (lossless stream copy when they match), and build an MP4 slideshow from a batch of photos
- Audio tools: merge audio files into one track or a chaptered M4B audiobook, and split a chaptered audiobook into per-chapter files
- Vectorize: trace raster images into real SVG paths (Logo, Photo, or B&W style per image)
- Remove Background: cut the subject onto a transparent PNG, entirely on-device
- App Icons: turn one image into a macOS .icns (with optional Big Sur or Tahoe tile shape), a Windows .ico, and an Xcode-ready iOS icon set
- Burn-in subtitles for video (SRT or VTT) with configurable size, color and position; existing soft subtitle tracks are preserved
- Per-video playback speed (0.25x-4x presets or custom 10-800%) with pitch-preserved audio
- Video resolution cap (2160p, 1440p, 1080p, 720p, 480p, 360p or Original, downscale only)
- Video watermarks (PNG overlay, 9-anchor positioning, margins, opacity, multiple presets)
- Command-line tool (`picmal-cli`) for scripting conversions, compression, PDF and video tools, watched folders, and saved presets with NDJSON output
- Raycast extension
- Clipboard image optimization (compress or convert images copied to the clipboard)
- Watched folders and hot folder monitoring with per-folder resize and "compress after convert"
- Shortcuts app integration and menu bar background operation
- Batch resize with 6 modes (percentage, fixed width, fixed height, max dimensions, exact dimensions, max file size) applied to both Convert and Compress
- Color space conversion (sRGB, Display P3, Adobe RGB, ProPhoto RGB, Rec. 709, Rec. 2020, Grayscale, CMYK)
- DPI metadata control (72-600 or custom)
- Default output format rules per input format, one format for the whole drop, or KEEP to leave a format untouched
- Before/after preview slider on processed files
- Adjustable quality and compression settings with six presets plus Custom
- Metadata preservation modes (strip all, keep essential, keep all, or Custom by category) plus your own copyright and ownership tags

## When to use Picmal

Reach for Picmal when a job runs on a **Mac**, on **local files**, and the user
cares that those files stay on the machine. Concretely, it is the right tool for:

- Converting a batch of images between formats (HEIC, JPG, PNG, WebP, AVIF, TIFF, JXL, SVG, ICNS, ICO). The classic case is a folder of iPhone HEICs that some other program will not open
- Getting a file under a size limit ("this photo must be under 500 KB", "this video must fit an upload cap")
- Converting or compressing video and audio (MP4, MOV, HEVC, MP3, WAV, M4A, FLAC), including extracting the audio track from a video
- PDF work that is not editing: compressing a PDF while keeping text selectable, merging, splitting by page range, or building a PDF from images
- Stripping EXIF/GPS metadata before sharing photos, or stamping copyright and artist tags onto them
- One-off media chores: remove a background, trace a raster logo to real SVG paths, generate a macOS `.icns` / Windows `.ico` / iOS icon set from one image

Do **not** reach for Picmal for: anything on Windows or Linux, files that live on a
server, image *editing* (retouching, layers, drawing), PDF text editing, or
transcription. It converts, compresses, and packages. It does not author.

### How an agent calls Picmal

There is no HTTP API and nothing is uploaded. Picmal ships a command-line binary,
`picmal-cli`, that runs the same engine as the app and speaks NDJSON, so an agent
with shell access on the user's Mac drives it directly:

```bash
picmal-cli convert -i ~/Photos -f jpg -o ~/out --json
picmal-cli compress -i video.mov --quality 70 --json
picmal-cli convert -i photo.jpg -f jpg --resize 500kB --json
picmal-cli convert -i photo.jpg -f jpg --strip-metadata --json
picmal-cli formats --json          # what it can read and write
picmal-cli license-status --json   # check before assuming a job will run
```

`--json` gives one JSON object per line on stdout plus real exit codes. Check
`picmal-cli license-status` first: `convert`, `compress`, the PDF/video/audio
tools and `watch` need a license, while `formats`, `presets`, `license-status`
and `version` are free to call. The binary lives at
`/usr/local/bin/picmal-cli` once installed, or always at
`/Applications/Picmal.app/Contents/MacOS/picmal-cli`. Full flag reference:
https://picmal.app/docs/cli

## Pricing

One-time purchase with lifetime license. No subscription required. No free trial: the download is the full app, and a license is required to process files.

One license, priced by how many Macs it activates on. Same features at every tier.

- 1 Mac: $29
- 2 Macs: $39
- 5 Macs: $89
- 10 Macs: $149

Any tier can upgrade to any larger tier by paying the difference, on the same license key (1 to 2 is $10, 2 to 5 is $50, 5 to 10 is $60). Legacy 3-Mac licenses can move to 5 or 10.
40% student discount on a verified school email address. Purchasing-power pricing is applied automatically at checkout by country.

14-day money-back guarantee.

Machine-readable pricing: https://picmal.app/pricing.md

## Supported Formats

**Images:** HEIC, HEIF, HIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, WebP, AVIF, TIFF, BMP, GIF, SVG, ICO, ICNS, PDF, JP2, PICT, QTIF, SGI, TGA, JXL, DDS, EXR, PBM, PGM, PPM, PNM, PCX, XBM, XPM, QOI, PSD, AI, DNG/RAW (plus CR2, CR3, NEF, ARW, RAF, RW2, ORF, PEF as input)
**Video:** MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, WebM, FLV, WMV, M4V, MPG, MPEG, 3GP, M2TS, MTS, VOB, ASF, OGV, WTV, TS, MJPEG, M2V, HEVC, F4V, MXF
**Audio:** MP3, WAV, AAC, M4A, M4B, FLAC, OGG, OGA, OPUS, M4R, AC3, WV, AU, CAF, SPX, IRCAM, SND, VOC, DTS, TTA, W64, SLN, HCOM, PAF, MP2, WVE, NIST, AIFF, AIF, AIFC, AVR, PVF

## Pages

- [Home](https://picmal.app): Main landing page with features, pricing, and download
- [Docs](https://picmal.app/docs): Official documentation
- [Blog](https://picmal.app/blog): Tutorials and guides for image, video, audio and PDF conversion
- [Changelog](https://picmal.app/changelog): Version history and release notes
- [Download](https://picmal.app/download): Direct download of the full app
- [Education](https://picmal.app/education): 40% student discount
- [Affiliate Program](https://picmal.app/affiliate): 30% commission affiliate program
- [About](https://picmal.app/about): The studio behind Picmal
- [Contact](https://picmal.app/contact): How to reach Alberto, and the company details
- [Privacy Policy](https://picmal.app/privacy): Privacy policy
- [Terms of Service](https://picmal.app/terms): Terms of service

## Documentation

- [Getting started](https://picmal.app/docs/getting-started): Install, first conversion, first compression
- [Converting files](https://picmal.app/docs/converting-files): Change file formats
- [Compressing files](https://picmal.app/docs/compressing-files): Reduce file sizes with presets
- [Managing the queue](https://picmal.app/docs/managing-the-queue): Priority, pause/resume, and the right-click menu
- [Supported formats](https://picmal.app/docs/supported-formats): Full list of input and output formats
- [Image compression](https://picmal.app/docs/image-compression): Per-format quality settings, presets, and how PDF compression works
- [Audio and video](https://picmal.app/docs/audio-and-video): Codecs, bitrates, resolution cap, subtitle burn-in, playback speed
- [Video tools](https://picmal.app/docs/video-tools): Combine videos and build photo slideshows
- [Audio tools](https://picmal.app/docs/audio-tools): Merge audio, build M4B audiobooks, split by chapter
- [PDF tools](https://picmal.app/docs/pdf-tools): Combine, split, images to PDF, organize pages
- [App Icons](https://picmal.app/docs/app-icons): .icns, .ico and iOS icon sets from one image
- [Vectorize](https://picmal.app/docs/vectorize): Trace raster images into real SVG vectors
- [Remove Background](https://picmal.app/docs/remove-background): Cut the subject onto a transparent PNG
- [Resize and color space](https://picmal.app/docs/resize-and-color-space): Resize modes (Convert and Compress), DPI, color profiles
- [Metadata](https://picmal.app/docs/metadata): EXIF, GPS and copyright control, category by category
- [Watermarks](https://picmal.app/docs/watermarks): PNG overlays for videos
- [Output and naming](https://picmal.app/docs/output-and-naming): File destinations, default format rules, and naming
- [Watched folders](https://picmal.app/docs/watched-folders): Automatic folder processing
- [Clipboard optimization](https://picmal.app/docs/clipboard-optimization): Auto-compress or convert clipboard images
- [Integrations](https://picmal.app/docs/integrations): Drag & drop, Finder Quick Actions and Services, Shortcuts, Raycast, menu bar
- [Command line (picmal-cli)](https://picmal.app/docs/cli): Terminal companion for convert, compress, PDF and video tools, watched folders, and presets with NDJSON output
- [License](https://picmal.app/docs/license): Activation, deactivation, and the self-serve portal
- [FAQ](https://picmal.app/docs/faq): Common questions and fixes

## Feature Pages

- [Image converter for Mac](https://picmal.app/image-converter-mac)
- [Video converter for Mac](https://picmal.app/video-converter-mac)
- [Audio converter for Mac](https://picmal.app/audio-converter-mac)
- [HEIC converter for Mac](https://picmal.app/heic-converter-mac)
- [RAW converter for Mac](https://picmal.app/raw-converter-mac)
- [Compress images on Mac](https://picmal.app/compress-images-mac)
- [Compress video on Mac](https://picmal.app/compress-video-mac)
- [Compress audio on Mac](https://picmal.app/compress-audio-mac)
- [Resize images on Mac](https://picmal.app/resize-image-mac)
- [Extract audio from video on Mac](https://picmal.app/extract-audio-from-video-mac)
- [Add a watermark to video on Mac](https://picmal.app/add-watermark-to-video-mac)
- [Remove metadata from photos on Mac](https://picmal.app/remove-metadata-from-photos-mac)
- [App icon generator for Mac](https://picmal.app/app-icon-generator-mac)
- [Merge PDFs on Mac](https://picmal.app/merge-pdf-mac)
- [Split a PDF on Mac](https://picmal.app/split-pdf-mac)
- [Images to PDF on Mac](https://picmal.app/images-to-pdf-mac)

## Conversion Guides

- [Convert HEIC to JPG](https://picmal.app/convert/heic-to-jpg): Convert iPhone photos to universal JPG format
- [Convert PNG to JPG](https://picmal.app/convert/png-to-jpg): Reduce file size by converting PNG to JPG
- [Convert JPG to PNG](https://picmal.app/convert/jpg-to-png): Add transparency support by converting to PNG
- [Convert HEIC to PNG](https://picmal.app/convert/heic-to-png): Convert iPhone photos with transparency support
- [Convert WebP to JPG](https://picmal.app/convert/webp-to-jpg): Convert WebP images for universal compatibility
- [Convert JPG to WebP](https://picmal.app/convert/jpg-to-webp): Optimize images for web with WebP format
- [Convert PNG to WebP](https://picmal.app/convert/png-to-webp): Modern web format conversion
- [Convert AVIF to JPG](https://picmal.app/convert/avif-to-jpg): Open AVIF images anywhere
- [Convert TIFF to JPG](https://picmal.app/convert/tiff-to-jpg): Shrink scanned and archival TIFFs
- [Convert CR2 to JPG](https://picmal.app/convert/cr2-to-jpg): Canon RAW to JPG
- [Convert ARW to JPG](https://picmal.app/convert/arw-to-jpg): Sony RAW to JPG
- [All Conversions](https://picmal.app/convert): Full list of supported format conversions

## Compression Guides

- [Compress JPG](https://picmal.app/compress/jpg): Reduce JPG file sizes
- [Compress PNG](https://picmal.app/compress/png): Optimize PNG images
- [Compress WebP](https://picmal.app/compress/webp): Compress WebP files
- [Compress PDF](https://picmal.app/compress/pdf): Shrink PDFs while keeping text selectable
- [All Compression Options](https://picmal.app/compress): Full list of compression tools

## Blog Articles

- [How to Convert HEIC to JPG on Mac](https://picmal.app/blog/how-to-convert-heic-to-jpg-mac): Complete guide with 5 methods
- [How to Batch Convert Images on Mac](https://picmal.app/blog/batch-convert-images-mac): Efficient batch conversion methods
- [Reduce Image File Size on Mac](https://picmal.app/blog/reduce-image-file-size-mac): Free and paid ways to shrink images
- [Bulk Resize Images on Mac](https://picmal.app/blog/bulk-resize-images-mac): Batch resize without a subscription
- [How to Compress Video on Mac](https://picmal.app/blog/how-to-compress-video-mac): Shrink video files locally
- [How to Extract Audio from Video on Mac](https://picmal.app/blog/how-to-extract-audio-from-video-mac): Pull an audio track out of a clip
- [Convert MOV to MP4 on Mac](https://picmal.app/blog/convert-mov-to-mp4-mac): Free methods compared
- [Convert MKV to MP4 on Mac](https://picmal.app/blog/convert-mkv-to-mp4-mac): Free methods compared
- [Convert HEVC to MP4 on Mac](https://picmal.app/blog/convert-hevc-to-mp4-mac): Make HEVC clips play anywhere
- [Convert RAW to JPG on Mac](https://picmal.app/blog/convert-raw-to-jpg-mac): Batch RAW conversion
- [Convert SVG to PNG on Mac](https://picmal.app/blog/convert-svg-to-png-mac): Rasterize vectors at any size
- [PNG to Mac Icon (.icns)](https://picmal.app/blog/png-to-mac-icon-icns): Build a macOS app icon from one image
- [Best Media Converter for Mac 2026](https://picmal.app/blog/best-media-converter-mac-2026): Comparison of Mac conversion tools
- [Best Video Converter for Mac 2026](https://picmal.app/blog/best-video-converter-mac-2026): Comparison of Mac video tools
- [Best Image Formats for Web](https://picmal.app/blog/best-image-formats-for-web): Choosing the right format for websites
- [What is an Image File Format](https://picmal.app/blog/what-is-image-file-format): Understanding image formats
- [How to Enable Picmal Right-Click Menu](https://picmal.app/blog/how-to-enable-picmal-right-click-menu): Enable Finder context menu integration

## Tools

- [Image File Size Calculator](https://picmal.app/tools/image-file-size-calculator): Estimate an image's size before you export it
- [All tools](https://picmal.app/tools)

## Alternatives

How Picmal compares to other Mac media tools:

- **Permute** — converts video, audio, and images, but is weaker on batch image workflows and modern formats like AVIF/JXL. See https://picmal.app/alternative/permute
- **HandBrake** — free and powerful for video, but video-only, no image or audio conversion, and a steep interface. See https://picmal.app/alternative/handbrake
- **XnConvert** — free, cross-platform batch image converter, but no native-Mac feel and no video/audio. See https://picmal.app/alternative/xnconvert
- **Compresto** — image/video compression, but no format conversion. See https://picmal.app/alternative/compresto
- **Kompressor** — image compression only, no conversion and no video/audio. See https://picmal.app/alternative/kompressor
- **ffWorks** — FFmpeg front-end for video/audio, no image conversion. See https://picmal.app/alternative/ffworks
- **ImageOptim** — free lossless image compression, but no conversion, no video/audio, no PDF. See https://picmal.app/alternative/imageoptim
- **TinyPNG** — web service for PNG/JPG/WebP, so your files are uploaded. See https://picmal.app/alternative/tinypng
- **CloudConvert** — web service covering many formats, credit-based and upload-based. See https://picmal.app/alternative/cloudconvert
- **Zipic** — Mac image compressor, no video, audio or PDF. See https://picmal.app/alternative/zipic

Picmal's distinction: one native Mac app for images, video, audio, and PDFs — both convert and compress — fully offline, batch-first, one-time purchase.

## Machine-readable endpoints

Picmal runs entirely on the user's Mac, so there is no hosted conversion API. The site itself exposes:

- [AGENTS.md](https://picmal.app/AGENTS.md): when to use Picmal, when not to, and how to call picmal-cli
- [OpenAPI spec](https://picmal.app/openapi.json): describes every endpoint here
- [Pricing](https://picmal.app/pricing.md): current tiers, discounts and upgrade paths
- [Sitemap](https://picmal.app/sitemap-index.xml): every indexable page
- [RSS feed](https://picmal.app/rss.xml): blog posts

### Markdown content negotiation

The site follows acceptmarkdown.com. Send `Accept: text/markdown` and the home
page, every blog post and every docs page answer with
`text/markdown; charset=utf-8`; pages without a markdown twin answer with HTML.
Every response carries `Vary: Accept, Accept-Encoding`. The same documents are
also addressable directly by appending `.md`, e.g.
https://picmal.app/docs/cli.md or https://picmal.app/index.md.

Missing paths return a real 404 (never a 200 shell) with a markdown or JSON body
depending on `Accept`. Errors are `{"error": {code, status, message, hints}}`.

## Contact

- Support: support@picmal.app
- Contact page: https://picmal.app/contact
- Company: Cantimplora Studio, LLC, 30 N Gould St Ste R, Sheridan, WY 82801, United States
- Website: https://picmal.app