dds_tool

dds_tool

A DDS texture converter: export DDS textures to ordinary images (PNG / EXR), edit them in any image editor, and compile them back to DDS in exactly the same format as the original.

• Exports only the largest mipmap; mipmaps are regenerated on import.
• Every detail of the original file (format, header flags, cubemap/array layout, ...) is stored in a .json next to the image, so the rebuilt texture matches the original.
• A single self-contained program for Windows, macOS and Linux — nothing to install.

Download

Get the latest version from the Releases page:

You can rename the file to just dds_tool (or dds_tool.exe).

macOS / Linux: make the file executable first:

chmod +x dds_tool-macos-arm64

macOS blocks unsigned programs the first time they run. Right-click the file in Finder and choose Open, or run:

xattr -d com.apple.quarantine dds_tool-macos-arm64

Quick start

Drag & drop (Windows): drop files onto the program.

• .dds files are exported to .png / .exr + .json
• .json files (or the edited .png / .exr) are compiled back to .dds

From a terminal:

dds_tool export texture.dds                # -> texture.png + texture.json
dds_tool import texture.json               # -> texture.dds (original format, new mipmaps)

dds_tool export "C:\Game\textures" -r      # every .dds in the folder and all subfolders
dds_tool import "C:\Game\textures" -r      # rebuild all of them

dds_tool create image.png -f BC7_UNORM_SRGB     # new texture from any image
dds_tool create new.png --like original.dds     # same format as an existing texture

dds_tool info texture.dds
dds_tool formats                           # list of supported formats
dds_tool --help

[!WARNING] import writes the .dds next to the .json, overwriting an existing file with the same name. Keep a backup of the original textures, or export to another folder with -o.

Options

Choosing a format for create

Use _SRGB formats only for color — normal maps and masks must not be sRGB, otherwise their mipmaps are computed incorrectly.

Supported textures

• Block compressed: BC1–BC7 in all variants (DXT1–5, ATI1/ATI2, BC4/BC5 SNORM, BC6H UF16/SF16, BC7 sRGB)
• Uncompressed DXGI formats: practically all — UNORM, SNORM, UINT, SINT, FLOAT, packed formats, depth/stencil, R9G9B9E5, R11G11B10, B4G4R4A4, ...
• Legacy bit-mask formats: R5G6B5, A1R5G5B5, X8R8G8B8, L8, A8L8, A8, V8U8, ...
• Layouts: cubemaps (also partial), texture arrays, 3D (volume) and 1D textures

Not supported: video (YUV / NV12) and palettized formats.

Image files

Edited images may be saved with a different bit depth, without alpha, or at a different size — the program adapts. Input images for create: PNG, EXR, JPG, BMP, TGA, GIF. EXR files may use no compression, RLE, ZIP, ZIPS, PIZ or PXR24 (not B44 / DWA).

The .json file

The size of the texture is taken from the image, so to change the resolution just resize the image. To change the format, use dds_tool create image.png -f FORMAT.

Building from source

Requires Go 1.24 or newer. The program uses only the Go standard library.

Install directly with Go:

go install github.com/A-t-l-as/dds_tool@latest

Or clone the repository and build it:

git clone https://github.com/A-t-l-as/dds_tool.git
cd dds_tool
go build -o dds_tool .       # build for this computer
go test ./...                # run the tests

# cross-compile, e.g. for Windows:
GOOS=windows GOARCH=amd64 go build -o dds_tool.exe .

Releases

Pushing a version tag builds the programs for all systems and publishes them on the Releases page (see .github/workflows/release.yml):

git tag v3.0.0
git push origin v3.0.0

License

MIT © 2026 A-t-l-as