Opening an EXE File

The EXE file type is primarily associated with Windows.

EXE	File extension: EXE
	File type:	executable program

What is an EXE file

EXE files mostly belong to Windows by Microsoft. An EXE file is an executable program for Windows operating system, MS-DOS, and OS/2. It usually contains a standalone program, an installer package, or the entry point of a Windows application. EXE is also the filename extension of a self-extracting archive. Such an archive contains program code and compressed data which a Windows user can extract by simply double clicking the file (without using third-party software). PlayStation consoles use a different type of EXE executable program. Settlers IV game saves game progress in an EXE file.

How to open EXE files

You need a suitable software like Windows to open an EXE 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 EXE file correctly, try to right-click or long-press the file. Then click "Open with" and choose an application. You can also display a EXE file directly in the browser:. Just drag the file onto this browser window and drop it.

Online EXE File Viewer

Choose your .exe file to view

or drag and drop it here

Online File Viewer

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How to extract texts from EXE files or capture a screenshot to PDF, JPG, DOCX, TXT, ...

You can extract texts from EXE file or capture a preview screenshot using our online EXE file viewer:

To do this, click the button "Choose your .exe file to view" on this page.
After your file is opened in browser,
click "Save as..." in the menu.
Then choose the file format (e.g. JPG, PDF, DOCX, TXT, ...) you want.
Your file will be converted and downloaded.

Programs that open and convert EXE files:

Windows by Microsoft
See the previous paragraphs to learn more about the main application. EXE files are often referred to as Windows executables because this type of file is primarily created or used by this software.
.NET (component object model) by Microsoft
.NET is a software development kit and framework for building C# applications. It uses an EXE file to store a component object model. This file format is classified as Developer.
PDP-10 (page-mapped executable binary) by PDP-10
PDP-10 (short for Programmed Data Processor Model 10) is a discontinued line of mainframe computers manufactured in the 1960s. It uses an EXE file to save its page-mapped executable binary. This file format is classified as Executable. Related links: Wikipedia PDP-10 Page
Playstation (executable) by Sony
PlayStation is a family of tabletop and handheld video game consoles. Its operating system uses executable programs saved in EXE files. This file type isn't the same as EXE files used by Windows. This file format is classified as Executable.
PowerBASIC (executable program) by PowerBASIC
PowerBASIC is a discontinued compiler for programs written in PowerBASIC, a dialect of BASIC programming language. It compiles a program to EXE format. This file format is classified as Executable.
Settlers IV (saved game) by Ubisoft
Settlers IV is a real-time strategy city-building video game for PC and mobile users. It saves a game's state in an EXE file. Information saved in this file may be used to resume a game session in the future. This file format is classified as Game.
WinRAR (self-extracting archive) by WinRAR
WinRAR is a data compression/encryption program for Windows. It can create a self-extracting archive stored as an EXE file. Double-clicking such an archive unpacks its contents without requiring the use of an archive decompression program. This file format is classified as Compressed.

EXE file format:

The file format determines how the data is stored in the file. A file format is determined by the file extension and signature, so JPEG images have the extension .jpg and the first bytes in the file are ÿØÿ. If the file extension does not match the file format, double-clicking on the file will cause an error upon opening. When there is a problem with a file, the first step to solving it is to determine the file format. Our evaluation of the EXE files is as follows:

EXE is one of the most common file extensions and primarily uses a special format that can be read by various programs. But the following two file formats are common:

97% of all EXE files are associated with executable files, which internally utilize the well-known EXE format. EXE is the abbreviation for executable and is the standard executable file format on Windows. The format can be identified by the letters "MZ" at the beginning. Executable files can also be used to distribute viruses and other types of malicious software (malware). They consist of unreadable binary data. EXE files can be up to 7 GB in size, but are often around 130 KB - 38 MB. The file type was created 20 years ago but is still used today. Several words can almost always be found in the files, e.g. !This program cannot be run in DOS mode. Such files sometimes refer to setup, installer, chrome, launcher, firefox, acro, install and windows.
1% of all EXE files are based on the zip format, so several files are compressed and saved in one EXE file. 1 to 160 compressed files are common. If you want to see the included files and images, simply rename the file extension to .zip and double-click it. Most of these files are 27 KB to 110 MB in size.

All other EXE files (2%) have no consistent format. They are often associated with player, magic, view, update, game or viewer. If you want to find out what your EXE file contains, drag and drop it onto this page.

Technical Data for EXE File Extension

File classification:

Executable

Related files:

udm, part, dll, game, appinstaller, zip, vmp, application, mui, check, 1-1, crack, appref-ms, fixed, rar, config, lnk, sys, mz, ink, log, msi, cab

Related links:

Fixing a Broken EXE Association

Mime type:

application/x-dosexec, application/vnd.microsoft.portable-executable

The following listing is compiled from the database produced by the 'Associate This!' program, selected data from the main FILExt database and file extension information submitted by users.

ProgramID: exefile, FileType: Application, AppName: %1
EXEFile: %1

ProgramID: Frigate3.edit, FileType: Write Document, AppName: Frigate3

ProgramID: exefile
EXEFile: %1 %*

ProgramID: exefile
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\@Home veiligheid\AntiVirus\AVFileMon.exe %1 %*

Show all 4 listings To Top

an exe executable program is a special file format by Microsoft and should only be edited and saved with the appropriate software.

How to solve problems with EXE files

Associate the EXE file extension with the correct application.
Update your software that should actually open executable programs. Because only the current version supports the latest EXE file format. Search, therefore, e.g. on the Microsoft manufacturer website after an available Windows update.
To make sure that your EXE file is not corrupted or virus-infected, get the file again and scan it with Google's virustotal.com.
Click here to open your .EXE file online - secure, fast, and no downloads needed.