Free online TGA to TXD converter

GTA III, Vice City, and San Andreas mods use TXD texture dictionaries, so a standalone TGA texture must be imported into a TXD before the game can load it. This conversion is used when replacing vehicle, character, map, menu, or weapon textures in a RenderWare-based game.

What the TGA format is

TGA (Truevision Targa) is a raster image format commonly used for game textures because it supports RGB and RGBA images, including an 8-bit transparency channel. It can store uncompressed or RLE-compressed data and is frequently produced by Adobe Photoshop, GIMP, Paint.NET, and 3D software.

In GTA modding, TGA files are usually source artwork rather than files the game loads directly. You may encounter them when downloading replacement textures, exporting a texture from an image editor, or preparing artwork for a vehicle, character, building, interface, or weapon model.

What the TXD format is

TXD is a RenderWare Texture Dictionary used by games including GTA III, GTA: Vice City, and GTA: San Andreas. A TXD can contain one or many named textures, together with raster format, dimensions, alpha information, filtering settings, and optionally mipmaps.

Unlike TGA, TXD is a game resource container rather than a general-purpose image format. It can store texture data in formats expected by the target game, including platform-specific or compressed raster formats such as DXT. The texture name inside the dictionary must match the name requested by the model or game resource.

How to actually convert TGA to TXD

Using Magic.TXD

1. Install and open Magic.TXD, then create a new texture dictionary through File → New.
2. Use Texture → Import or the equivalent import command and select the .tga file.
3. Set the imported texture's name to the name referenced by the game model. For example, a vehicle model that requests carbody will not use a texture named carbody_new unless the model or dictionary references are changed.
4. Choose the target game and platform settings. For GTA San Andreas, use the settings intended for the PC version unless the texture is being prepared for another platform.
5. Configure alpha handling, texture compression, filtering, and mipmap generation. Preserve the alpha channel when it controls glass, foliage, decals, vehicle lights, or other transparency.
6. Save the dictionary with File → Save as, using a .txd filename. Replace or add that dictionary in the appropriate game archive or mod folder, then test it with the matching model.

TXD Workshop can perform the same basic workflow: open or create a dictionary, choose Import, select the TGA image, set its texture name and format, and save the result as .txd. Magic.TXD is generally preferable for newer editing workflows and broader texture-management controls.

For a conversion without installed software, the free converter on 101convert.com can be used to convert the file online. The resulting TXD still needs correct texture naming, game-specific settings, and placement in the mod; conversion alone does not make it compatible with every GTA release.

Quality and compatibility limits

• Use dimensions accepted by the target game, preferably power-of-two sizes such as 256×256, 512×512, or 1024×1024. Older RenderWare games may reject unusual dimensions or handle them incorrectly.
• Do not discard TGA alpha data during import. RGB-only output is unsuitable for textures that require transparency or an alpha-controlled material effect.
• DXT compression reduces TXD size but can introduce block artifacts. DXT1 is appropriate for opaque textures or simple 1-bit transparency; DXT3 and DXT5 are more suitable when the texture needs graded transparency.
• Generate mipmaps when the game and tool support them. Missing mipmaps can cause shimmering at a distance, while incorrect mipmap settings can increase memory use or produce visual seams.
• A TXD dictionary is tied to the game engine and platform. A TXD made for GTA San Andreas is not automatically valid for GTA IV, GTA V, or a different RenderWare game, and some games require different dictionary versions or texture raster formats.