Opening a FAM File

The FAM file type is primarily associated with Pedigree Editor.

FAM	File extension: FAM
	File type:	data file

What is a FAM file?

FAM files mostly belong to Pedigree Editor. FAM files can mean different things depending on their origin.
They are not a single standard format but a set of files that store structured data for different applications. For example:

PLINK Pedigree Files – These files hold pedigree and family data used in genetic analysis. They are used by specialized tools like a Pedigree Editor to analyze relationships and inheritance patterns.

The Sims Family Files – In this case the FAM file contains family data used in simulation games such as those from The Sims series. It stores game-related configurations for characters and their relationships.

Font Asset Management Files – These files keep font metrics and settings for a font family. They are used in typography and font design applications like Fontographer or even FontForge. More details are available on the Font Lab website.

TVF Metadata Files – Here the file holds metadata, often used by tools like the Turbo File Viewer or as part of a database in systems such as Tivoli Storage Manager. They help track file properties and organizational details.

FilExt.com tips: Note that the same FAM extension is used by different developers. To open and view such a file, it is important to know the originating software. A plain text editor might reveal some structure, but proper viewing and editing require the correct application.

How to open a FAM file

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

Online FAM Text Viewer

Choose your .fam file to analyze

or drag and drop it here

Online File Viewer

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FAM file format:

If you know the file format, you can also find out how to open or edit 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. 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. If there are problems opening a file, you must first determine the file format used. In the following you will find our evaluation of the FAM files:

FAM is rarely used as a file extension and includes very many different file formats. However, the following two file formats are common:

• 15% of all FAM files start with the bytes Pedigree Editor V, which are crucial for this file format. The content consists of illegible binary data, which can only be read and interpreted by the associated programs. The files are on average 28 KB in size and range from 4 KB to 59 KB. The files contain the following words: Pedigree Editor V6.5. Files like these have the following tags: makonic.
• 8% of all FAM files use the same file format, which can be identified by the letters "00 05 16" at the beginning. These files are binary files, so they do not contain text, but only cryptic characters. Most of these files are 15 KB to 230 KB in size.

All other FAM files (77%) have different formats, the following 4 formats exist: VVVVVVVVVVVV and IFF. Tagged as flame, spurt, report or gwas. You can get all the details of your FAM file by dragging it onto this page or by clicking the button "Choose your .fam file to analyze" above.