Is PML the same as HTML?

No, PML is a simplified subset of markup designed specifically for Palm devices, lacking the complexity, image support, and styling capabilities of HTML.

Can I create new ebooks in PML?

While technically possible, it is not recommended as the format is obsolete and incompatible with current e-readers and smartphones.

.pmlapplication/x-pml

PML (.pml)

PML (Palm Markup Language) is a simple markup format for creating ebooks on Palm devices.

Quick Facts

File Extension: .pml
MIME Type: application/x-pml
Category: Ebook
Full Name: PML

What is PML?

PML, or Palm Markup Language, is a lightweight markup format specifically designed for creating and displaying ebooks on Palm OS devices. Developed in the late 1990s during the height of the personal digital assistant era, PML allowed authors and publishers to format text with basic styling such as bold, italics, and simple lists without the complexity of full HTML. Its primary goal was to ensure readability on the small, low-resolution screens of early PDAs while maintaining a small file size for limited storage capacity.

The format functions as a plain text file containing specific tags that the Palm Reader software interprets to render content. Unlike modern web standards, PML does not support complex layouts, images, or scripts, focusing strictly on linear text flow and basic typography. This simplicity made it an ideal choice for distributing novels, manuals, and reference materials to users of devices like the Palm Pilot, Handspring Visor, and Sony Clie.

Although largely obsolete today due to the dominance of smartphones and modern ebook formats like EPUB and MOBI, PML remains a significant part of digital reading history. It represented one of the first attempts to bring formatted literature to portable handheld devices, paving the way for the sophisticated e-reading ecosystems we use now. Enthusiasts and archivists still occasionally encounter PML files when preserving legacy digital content from the early mobile computing age.

Technical Specifications

Developer	Palm, Inc.
First Released	1998
Type	Markup Language
Compression	None (Plain Text)
Max Resolution	N/A (Text Only)
Color Depth	N/A (Text Only)

Pros & Cons

+Advantages

•Extremely small file size ideal for limited storage
•Simple syntax easy for humans to read and edit
•Fast rendering on low-power processors
•Compatible with legacy Palm OS software

−Disadvantages

•Lacks support for images and graphics
•No support for complex layouts or tables
•Obsolete and unsupported by modern devices
•Limited styling options compared to HTML or EPUB

Common Use Cases

Archiving legacy ebooks from the Palm OS era

Creating simple text-based manuals for old PDAs

Educational projects on the history of mobile computing

Converting old Palm documents to modern formats

Convert from PML

Convert .pml files to other formats.

.pml.pdf

Convert PML (.pml) files to PDF (.pdf) format. Transform your PML files to PDF quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.pml.docx

Convert PML (.pml) files to DOCX (.docx) format. Transform your PML files to DOCX quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.pml.epub

Convert PML (.pml) files to EPUB (.epub) format. Transform your PML files to EPUB quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.pml.rtf

Convert PML (.pml) files to RTF (.rtf) format. Transform your PML files to RTF quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.pml.html

Convert PML (.pml) files to HTML (.html) format. Transform your PML files to HTML quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.pml.txt

Convert PML (.pml) files to Plain Text (.txt) format. Transform your PML files to TXT quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.pml.mobi

Convert PML (.pml) files to MOBI (.mobi) format. Transform your PML files to MOBI quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.pml.azw3

Convert PML (.pml) files to AZW3 (.azw3) format. Transform your PML files to AZW3 quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.pml.fb2

Convert PML (.pml) files to FB2 (.fb2) format. Transform your PML files to FB2 quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.pml.htmlz

Convert PML (.pml) files to HTMLZ (.htmlz) format. Transform your PML files to HTMLZ quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.pml.lit

Convert PML (.pml) files to LIT (.lit) format. Transform your PML files to LIT quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.pml.lrf

Convert PML (.pml) files to LRF (.lrf) format. Transform your PML files to LRF quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.pml.pdb

Convert PML (.pml) files to PDB (.pdb) format. Transform your PML files to PDB quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.pml.rb

Convert PML (.pml) files to RB (.rb) format. Transform your PML files to RB quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.pml.snb

Convert PML (.pml) files to SNB (.snb) format. Transform your PML files to SNB quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.pml.tcr

Convert PML (.pml) files to TCR (.tcr) format. Transform your PML files to TCR quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

Convert to PML

Convert other files to .pml format.

.pdf.pml

Convert PDF (.pdf) files to PML (.pml) format. Transform your PDF files to PML quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.docx.pml

Convert DOCX (.docx) files to PML (.pml) format. Transform your DOCX files to PML quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.epub.pml

Convert EPUB (.epub) files to PML (.pml) format. Transform your EPUB files to PML quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.odt.pml

Convert ODT (.odt) files to PML (.pml) format. Transform your ODT files to PML quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.rtf.pml

Convert RTF (.rtf) files to PML (.pml) format. Transform your RTF files to PML quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.html.pml

Convert HTML (.html) files to PML (.pml) format. Transform your HTML files to PML quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.txt.pml

Convert Plain Text (.txt) files to PML (.pml) format. Transform your TXT files to PML quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.mobi.pml

Convert MOBI (.mobi) files to PML (.pml) format. Transform your MOBI files to PML quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.azw4.pml

Convert AZW4 (.azw4) files to PML (.pml) format. Transform your AZW4 files to PML quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.cb7.pml

Convert CB7 (.cb7) files to PML (.pml) format. Transform your CB7 files to PML quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.cba.pml

Convert CBA (.cba) files to PML (.pml) format. Transform your CBA files to PML quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.cbr.pml

Convert CBR (.cbr) files to PML (.pml) format. Transform your CBR files to PML quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.cbt.pml

Convert CBT (.cbt) files to PML (.pml) format. Transform your CBT files to PML quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.cbz.pml

Convert CBZ (.cbz) files to PML (.pml) format. Transform your CBZ files to PML quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.chm.pml

Convert CHM (.chm) files to PML (.pml) format. Transform your CHM files to PML quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.djvu.pml

Convert DjVu (.djvu) files to PML (.pml) format. Transform your DJVU files to PML quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.fb2.pml

Convert FB2 (.fb2) files to PML (.pml) format. Transform your FB2 files to PML quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.lit.pml

Convert LIT (.lit) files to PML (.pml) format. Transform your LIT files to PML quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.lrf.pml

Convert LRF (.lrf) files to PML (.pml) format. Transform your LRF files to PML quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.pdb.pml

Convert PDB (.pdb) files to PML (.pml) format. Transform your PDB files to PML quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.rb.pml

Convert RB (.rb) files to PML (.pml) format. Transform your RB files to PML quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.recipe.pml

Convert Calibre Recipe (.recipe) files to PML (.pml) format. Transform your RECIPE files to PML quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.snb.pml

Convert SNB (.snb) files to PML (.pml) format. Transform your SNB files to PML quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

.tcr.pml

Convert TCR (.tcr) files to PML (.pml) format. Transform your TCR files to PML quickly and easily with File ConverterX — completely free.

Frequently Asked Questions

Modern devices cannot natively open PML files; they require conversion to EPUB or PDF using specialized legacy tools or online converters.

Need to convert PML files?

File ConverterX supports converting .pml files to and from dozens of formats — completely free.

Browse Conversions