Opening a MAX File

The MAX file type is primarily associated with 3DS MAX.

MAX	File extension: MAX
	File type:	3D scene

What is a MAX file?

MAX files mostly belong to 3DS MAX by Autodesk. MAX files are usually 3D scenes created with 3DS MAX, a 3D modeling and animation software. This file contains all the models, animations, wireframes, textures, shaders, plugin settings etc. used to render a 3D scene. Digital documents captured with PaperPort are saved as image files with MAX filename extension. OmniPage scanning software also saves scanned documents in MAX files. However, it uses optical character recognition technology to extract the text layer of the scanned document so the file isn't strictly an image. This type of MAX file contains text layers, images, and layout settings saved in an e-book-like format. Pfaff embroidery design software such as ImageStitch and Premier+ Cross Stitcher save embroidery designs in MAX format. The layout database of printed circuit board designs created with OrCAD PCB Designer may be saved in a MAX file. Older computers such as the TRS-80 also saved bitmap images in MAX files.

How to open MAX files

You need a suitable software like 3DS MAX to open a MAX 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 MAX file correctly, try to right-click or long-press the file. Then click "Open with" and choose an application. You can also display a MAX file directly in the browser:. Just drag the file onto this browser window and drop it.

Online MAX File Viewer

Choose your .max file to view this image

or drag and drop it here

Online File Viewer

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How to convert a MAX file to OBJ, STL, PLY, 3DS, FBX, STP, ...

If you want to convert or edit a MAX file, you can use our free Online MAX File Converter (powered by Convert.Guru):

Just click the "Choose your .max file to view this image" button on this page.
After your file is opened in browser,
click "Save as..." in the menu.
Then select the 3D format (e.g. STL, OBJ, 3DS, X, X3D, STP, PLY, ...) you want.
Download the converted file.

Programs that open and convert MAX files:

3DS MAX by Autodesk
See the previous paragraphs to learn more about the main application. MAX files are often referred to as 3DS MAX 3d images because this type of file is primarily created or used by this software.
7-Zip (data) by Igor Pavlov
7-Zip is a multi-platform archive file management program with archive creation, compression, modification, and unpacking capabilities. Data archives stored as ZIP encoded MAX files may be unpacked with 7-Zip. This file format is classified as Data.
Creative Writer (document) by Microsoft
Creative Writer is a discontinued word processing software for Windows desktop operating systems. Documents created with Creative Writer were saved in MAX format. This file format is classified as Data. Related links: Archive.org Microsoft Kids Page, Wikipedia Creative Writer Page
CryptoMailer (encrypted data) by TheGreenBow
CryptoMailer is a cross-platform file encryption program that compresses multiple files into a single, encrypted container. This tool is mainly used to encrypt email attachments. Data encrypted with CryptoMailer is saved in a MAX file. This file format is classified as Encoded.
Max (source code) by Cycling '74
Max is a visual programming language, development kit, and media kit for creating musical software and samples. Files containing source code written with Max have MAX or MAXPAT filename extension. MAXPAT files are written in JSON syntax. This file format is classified as Developer.
Maximizer (data) by Maximizer
Maximizer is a suite of marketing, sales, analytics, and customer relationship management tools. Some data used by this program are stored in a MAX file. This file format is classified as Data.
OmniPage (scanned document) by Nuance
OmniPage is an optical character recognition software for processing scanned documents. The image layers, text layers, layout settings and other information that comprise documents created with OmniPage are saved in a MAX file. This file format is classified as Page Layout.
OrCAD (layout database) by Cadence
OrCAD is a suite of tools for creating, importing, and editing printed circuit board (PCB) designs. The layout database used by OrCAD's Designer component is saved in a MAX file. This file format is classified as CAD.
PaperPort (scanned image) by Kofax
PaperPort is a document management software with utilities for scanning, cataloging, and sharing digital documents. Paper documents converted to digital form with PaperPort are saved as images in MAX files. This file format is classified as Raster Image.
PS2 Save Builder (powersave) by PS2 Save Tools
PS2 Save Builder is a program used to modify various aspects (lives, levels, assets, weapons availability) of PS2 video games. Saved game progress created by PS2 Save Builder are stored in a MAX file. This file format is classified as Game.

MAX file extension format:

Every file has a defined file format, i.e. how the data is arranged in the file. 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. File extension, signature and file format must match; otherwise errors will occur when the file is opened. Exact knowledge of the format is therefore important in order to solve problems occurring in files. Our analysis of the MAX files produces the following result:

The MAX file extension is quite widespread and mainly uses a defined MAX format. But the following two file formats are common:

70% of all MAX files utilize the Microsoft Compound File format, which is also called Compound File Binary File format (CFBF or CFB) or OLE2 Compound Document format. Compound document files are used to structure the contents of a document in the file. It is possible to divide the data into several streams, and to store these streams in different places in the file. In this way compound document files support a complete file system inside the file, the streams are like files in a real file system, and the sections are like subdirectories. The first 8 bytes of the CFB format are D0CF11E0A1B11AE1 (which looks like "DOCFILE"). There is also a unique Windows component object identifier (CLSID) which is 1cdd8c7b-81c0-45a0-9fed-04143144cc1e. The file contains several sections which are named like DllDirectory, Scene, ClassData, Config, VideoPostQueue, SummaryInformation, ClassDirectory3, DocumentSummaryInformation, ScriptedCustAttribDefs, SaveConfigData and FileAssetMetaData3. Most of these files are 600 KB to 110 MB in size. The file type was developed 10 years ago and is still in use today. Such files are related to model, vray, uploads, cadnav, corona, chair, open and scene.
25% of all MAX files are PaperPort scanned document/image files. They consist of illegible, cryptic characters. The files are 32 KB to 1 MB in size, with a median of 240 KB. The following keywords are characteristic: ViGFk. Files like these are about scan, friday, monday, tuesday, thursday and sunday, and have often person-related content.

The remaining 5% of all MAX files are different files with different signatures, often e.g. PS2 PowerSave, ZIP, OrCAD and EXTM. The category is house, table, room, scanline, design or mesh. Drag & drop your file here to see the file format and a preview of your MAX file!

Technical Data for MAX File Extension

File classification:

3D Image

Related files:

webp, zip, rar, fbx, 3ds, png, obj, jpg, mtl, jpeg, maxpat, pdf, txt, stl, max copy, tga, dwg, max1, hdr, exe, shp, phy

Mime type:

application/x-3ds, image/x-3ds, application/octet-stream

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: 3dsmax6
EXEFile: D:\Discreet\3dsmax6\3dsmax.exe %1

ProgramID: 3DStudio.GMAX
EXEFile: C:\gmax\gmax.exe %1

ProgramID: 3DStudio.MAX
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\3dsmax5\3dsmax.exe %1

ProgramID: Creative Writer
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\MI46C1~1\CREATI~1\Writer.Exe %1

ProgramID: Max3.Document
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Data Analyzer\Data Analyzer 3.5\Max3.exe %1

ProgramID: OmniPage.maxImage
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ScanSoft\OmniPagePro14.0\omnipage.exe %1

ProgramID: OrCADLayoutStdDemo10.0.0
EXEFile: C:\OrCAD\OrCAD_10.0_Demo\tools\Layout\Lsession.exe %1

ProgramID: Paper.Document
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Scansoft\PaperPort\PPPAGEVW.EXE %1

ProgramID: Paper.Document
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ScanSoft\PAPERP~1\PPPAGEVW.EXE %1

ProgramID: Paper.Document
EXEFile: C:\PAPRPORT\PAPRPORT.EXE %1

ProgramID: 3DStudio.MAX
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\3dsmax7\3dsmax.exe %1

ProgramID: Paper.Document
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ScanSoft\PaperPort Viewer\Ppviewer.exe %1

ProgramID: 3DStudio.MAX
EXEFile: E:\3dsmax5\3dsmax.exe %1

ProgramID: Paper.Document
EXEFile: D:\PAPRPORT\PAPRPORT.EXE %1

ProgramID: XnView.Image
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\XnView\xnview.exe %1

ProgramID: 3DStudio.MAX
EXEFile: C:\Ashadid\3dsMAX\3dsmax.exe %1

ProgramID: Comsrv.MaxDocument
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Autodesk Building Systems 2006\vizr.exe %1

ProgramID: 3DStudio.MAX
EXEFile: D:\3dsmax7\3dsmax.exe %1

ProgramID: 3DStudio.MAX
EXEFile: D:\3dsmax\3dsmax.exe %1

ProgramID: 3DStudio.MAX
EXEFile: D:\3dsmax6\3dsmax.exe %1

ProgramID: 3DStudio.MAX
EXEFile: C:\3dsmax4\3dsmax.exe %1

ProgramID: 3DStudio.MAX
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\3ds Max 7\3dsmax.exe %1

ProgramID: 3DStudio.MAX
EXEFile: D:\Yogi 8.8.05\F o t o\3-D S Max\3dsmax7\3DSMAX.EXE %1

ProgramID: 3DStudio.MAX
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Autodesk\3dsMax8\3dsmax.exe %1

ProgramID: Paper.Document
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ScanSoft\PAPERP~2\PPPAGEVW.exe %1

ProgramID: OmniPage.maxImage
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ScanSoft\OmniPage15.0\omnipage.exe

ProgramID: Paper.Document
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\visioneer\paperport\pppagevw.exe

ProgramID: Creative Writer
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\MICROS~4\CREATI~1\Writer.Exe

ProgramID: Paper.Document
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\VISION~1\PAPERP~1\pppagevw.exe

ProgramID: Paper.Document
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\scansoft\PAPERP~1\pppagevw.exe

ProgramID: 3dsmax
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Autodesk\3ds Max 9\\3dsmax.exe

ProgramID: EMBIRD.File.max
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\EMBIRD32\EMBIRD.EXE

ProgramID: 3DStudio.VIZ
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Autodesk VIZ 2006\3dsviz.exe

ProgramID: OmniPage.maxImage
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ScanSoft\OmniPageSE3.0\omnipage.exe

Show all 34 listings To Top

a max 3D scene is a special file format by Autodesk and should only be edited and saved with the appropriate software.

How to solve problems with MAX files

Associate the MAX file extension with the correct application.
Update your software that should actually open 3d scenes. Because only the current version supports the latest MAX file format. Search, therefore, e.g. on the Autodesk manufacturer website after an available 3DS MAX update.
To make sure that your MAX file is not corrupted or virus-infected, get the file again and scan it with Google's virustotal.com.
Click here to open your .MAX file online - secure, fast, and no downloads needed.