Opening an AFW File

The AFW file type is primarily associated with Firmware Updater.

AFW	File extension: AFW
	File type:	firmware update file

What is an AFW file?

AFW files mostly belong to Firmware Updater.

AFW files are used by several companies to store firmware and automation configuration data. They are not meant to be read by a text editor, but to be processed by the vendor’s update or configuration software.
For example, Astro Gaming uses an AFW file to hold headset firmware that is applied via the Astro Command Center (more info). Likewise, ABB employs AFW files as part of its FactoryWorks system in the ABB Automation Builder environment (ABB info). Other manufacturers, such as Ai-Thinker and Billion, use these files to manage firmware updates on modules and routers. There is also the use of the Microsoft Compound format where the file is known as an Application Framework File, often viewed with an AFW Viewer in Automation Studio Flow. In some cases, these files are packaged as a ZIP archive (for example, an Amazfit firmware archive) which can be opened with tools like WinZip (WinZip).
Use the appropriate vendor tool for your device because these files are made to be interpreted by a specific update mechanism.

• Astro Gaming firmware for headsets
• ABB automation data for industrial systems
• Ai-Thinker firmware for hardware modules
• Billion router firmware for network devices
• Microsoft Compound files used with AFW Viewer
• ZIP archives packaging firmware updates

How to open an AFW file

You need a suitable software like Firmware Updater to open an AFW file. Without proper software you will receive a Windows message "How do you want to open this file?" or "Windows cannot open this file" or a similar Mac/iPhone/Android alert. If you cannot open your AFW file correctly, try to right-click or long-press the file. Then click "Open with" and choose an application. You can also display a AFW file directly in the browser:. Just drag the file onto this browser window and drop it.

Online AFW Text Viewer

Choose your .afw file to analyze

or drag and drop it here

Online File Viewer

✈

Read our privacy guarantee in Filext’s terms and privacy policy

Please allow ads on our site

This helps us keep our servers running. Then re-upload your file to view it.

Click here to see how to disable the ad blocker for filext.com

AFW format details:

To find out what program is needed to open AFW files, you need to determine the file format. Each file format has a unique extension and almost always a unique signature. For example, Microsoft Word documents have the extension .docx and the signature (usually the first 3 characters in this file) PK. However, different programs can use the same file extension. Furthermore, a file extension can be renamed incorrectly and double-clicking on it will then display an error when it is opened. So you need a detailed analysis of a file to find out the format and the associated program. Our examination of the AFW files comes to the following conclusion:

The file type with the extension 'AFW' is used by different programs with different formats. But the following two file formats are common:

• 50% of all AFW files have the same signature 41 47 03 04. The contents of these files cannot be read by a human; only a computer program can interpret the data. A typical file size is 140 KB. The file type was created recently. The files contain the following words: mimas/afw_notes.txtUT and ganymede. The following filename is common: mimas_191113172943_tm-36170_tr-43_rm-36178_rr-43 (1).afw or mimas_200802233937_tm-36799_tr-43_rm-36179_rr-43.afw. Such files are related to mimas, ganymede, iapetus, europa and helios.
• 30% of all AFW files use the same file format, which can be identified by the letters "***AFW***" at the beginning. If you open these files in a text editor, you will see only illegible characters. The files are 14 KB to 35 MB in size, with a median of 2 MB. The files contain the following words: ***AFW***, Production and System. These files are attributed to structure, objects, aspects, aspect, categories and control.

The remaining 20% of all AFW files are files with no common format, the following 5 formats exist: DOC, ZIP and ZSu. Sometimes used for thinker, functional, mamibot, runtime, nodes or info. Just click the "Choose your .afw file to analyze" button on this page to find out what your AFW file is.