Opening an RLE File

The RLE file type is primarily associated with Photoshop.

RLE	File extension: RLE
	File type:	bitmap image

What is an RLE file

RLE files mostly belong to Photoshop by Adobe. RLE filename extension is associated with bitmap images compressed using Run-Length Encoding(RLE). Device-independent bitmap images compressed using Run-length Encoding are stored in RLE files. Some image processing tools that support RLE image format include Photoshop, PaintShop, Illustrator, XnView, Netpbm, and Canvas. RLE files created with Utah Raster Tooklit contain grayscale or color images compressed using Run-Length encoding and stored in Utah RLE raster graphics format. This type of RLE file contains a 15-byte header, color map, background color, and pixel data. RLE images used by CompuServe online services are 128x96 or 256x192 pixel, Run-Length compressed images saved in CompuServe RLE image file format. Saved simulations, patterns, and pattern fragments created by Golly, a life-simulation game are stored in run-length encoded text files with RLE filename extension. These RLE files save the state of a simulation as a two-dimensional grid. The RLE format used by Golly is called Extended RLE.

How to open RLE files

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

Online RLE File Viewer

Choose your .rle file to view this image

or drag and drop it here

Online File Viewer

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How do you convert RLE files to JPG, PNG, SVG, PDF, ...

You can convert RLE files using our online RLE file viewer (powered by Convert.Guru):

Just click the "Choose your .rle file to view this image" button on this page.
After your file is opened in browser,
click "Save as..." in the menu.
Then choose the image format (e.g. JPG, PNG, TIFF, PDF, ...) you want.
Download the converted file.

Programs that open and convert RLE files:

Photoshop by Adobe
See the previous paragraphs to learn more about the main application. RLE files are often referred to as Photoshop raster images because this type of file is primarily created or used by this software.
Boot Screen Logo Creation Package (boot logo or splash screen) by nelikp
Boot Screen Logo Creation Package, as the name suggests is a tool that converts PNG images to RLE files containing boot logos or splash screens used by Android devices. This file format is classified as Raster Image.
ChromaGraph Graphics Card (bitmap image) by ADEX
ChromaGraph graphics cards produced by ADEX appear to be able to generate 4-bit and 8-bit bitmap images that may or may not contain a palette. Such image files have RLE filename extension. This file format is classified as Raster Image. Related links: XnView
Golly (simulation pattern data) by Golly Contributors
Golly is a cross-platform program for simulating Game of Life cellular automation game. Patterns, pattern fragments, and saved simulation states used by Golly are saved as textual data in RLE files written in Extended RLE format which uses Run length encoding. This file format is classified as Game. Related links: Extended RLE Format
PaintShop (bitmap image) by Corel
PaintShop is a raster graphics design and photo editing application for Windows desktop. It provides a variety of photo enhancement and retouching tools for manipulating and exporting images saved in various formats including Run length-compressed bitmaps saved in RLE format. This file format is classified as Raster Image. Related links: Run-length encoding
Tom's Editor (black and white bitmap) by Tom's Editor
Tom's Editor is an online photo viewer, editor, and converter with built-in support for over 500 image file formats. RLE images used by CompuServe online services can be viewed with Tom's Editor. This file format is classified as Raster Image.
Utah Raster Toolkit (bitmap image) by School of Computing, University of Utah
Utah Raster Toolkit is a suite of raster graphics manipulation programs and C routines for Unix-based platforms. Utah Raster Toolkit can be used to edit or convert RLE files containing Run-length-encoded images. This file format is classified as Raster Image. Related links: XnView, Run-length encoding, Tom's Editor
XnView (bitmap image) by XnSoft
XnView is a free, cross-platform photo management software with photo editing and conversion tools. Run length-compressed bitmap images saved as RLE files can be opened with this program. This file format is classified as Raster Image. Related links: Run-length encoding

RLE format details:

The file format, which is the arrangement and type of data in a file, determines which program can open the file. The file format can be deduced from the file extension and the signature. 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. Exact knowledge of the format is therefore important in order to solve problems occurring in files. Our analysis of the RLE files produces the following result:

The file type with the extension 'RLE' does not have a uniform file format. The two most common formats are as follows:

15% of all RLE files belong to Golly Extended RLE. The content consists of readable text data, which can be read using a text editor. Most of these files are 99 bytes to 28 KB in size. It is a modern file type. Certain words are almost always found in the files, such as rule, #C Generated by copy.sh/life and bobo. An example of a file name is pattern.rle.
8% of all RLE files are Run Length Encoded bitmap files. They consist of unreadable binary data. A typical file size is 26 KB.

All the rest of the RLE files (77%) have different formats, often, for example, Intergraph Raster bitmap, Utah Raster Toolkit bitmap, CompuServe RLE bitmap, config, elr and Repair. These files sometimes refer to rules, arab, attack, chronicle, barracks, capture, vgalogo, splash, image, data, dump or logo. You can get all the details of your RLE file by dragging it onto this page or by clicking the button "Choose your .rle file to view this image" above.

Technical Data for RLE File Extension

File classification:

Raster Image

Related files:

mov, rle2, tunn3l_v1s10n, bmp, zip, png, dat, pgc, rel, bin, rules, mp4, img, eye, lgo, ttl, txt, jpg, pgm, ppm, dcm

Related links:

XnView, IrfanView, Run-length encoding

Mime type:

image/bmp, application/octet-stream, text/plain

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: ACDC_RLE
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ACDSee32\ACDSee32.exe /v

ProgramID: ACDSee 6.0.rle
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ACD Systems\ACDSee\6.0\ACDSee6.exe %1

ProgramID: ACDSee 7.0.rle
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ACD Systems\ACDSee\7.0\ACDSee7.exe %1

ProgramID: ACDSee.rle
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ACD Systems\ACDSee\5.0\ACDSee5.exe %1

ProgramID: ACDSee.RLE
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ACD Systems\ACDSee\ACDSee.exe /dde

ProgramID: ACDSee.RLE
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ACD\ACDSee\ACDSee.exe /dde

ProgramID: ACDSee.RLE
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ACDSYS~1\ACDSee\ACDSee.exe /dde

ProgramID: ACDSee.RLE
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\HEWLET~1\PHOTOS~1\ACDSys\ACD\ACDSee\ACDSee.exe /dde

ProgramID: ACDSee6.rle
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ACD Systems\ACDSee\6.0\ACDSee6.exe %1

ProgramID: PaintShopPro8.Image
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Jasc Software Inc\Paint Shop Pro 8\Paint Shop Pro.exe /dde

ProgramID: PhotoDeluxeBusiness.BMPAndRLEFile
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\PhotoDeluxe BE 1.0\PBE.exe %1

ProgramID: Photoshop.BMPFile
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Adobe\Photoshop 5.5\Photoshp.exe %1

ProgramID: PhotoshopElements.BMPFile
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Photoshop Elements 2\PhotoshopElements.exe %1

ProgramID: PhotoshopElements3.BMPFile
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 3.0\PhotoshopElementsEditor.exe %1

ProgramID: PSP.Image
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\PAINTS~1\PSP.EXE /dde

ProgramID: PSP5.Image
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\PAINTS~1\psp.exe /dde

ProgramID: PSP5.Image
EXEFile: F:\PAINT~14\Psp.exe /dde

ProgramID: PSP7.Image
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Jasc Software Inc\Paint Shop Pro 7\psp.exe /dde

ProgramID: PSP7.Image
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Paint Shop Pro 7\psp.exe /dde

ProgramID: RLE_UV
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Advanced Image Viewer and Converter\ImgViewer.exe %1

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

ProgramID: FotoCanvas2.RLE
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ACD Systems\FotoCanvas\2.0\FotoCanvas2.exe /dde

ProgramID: PhotoshopElements.BMPFile
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 2\PhotoshopElements.exe %1

ProgramID: PI3.Image
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Ulead Systems\Ulead PhotoImpact 6\iedit.exe %1

ProgramID: PhotoDeluxeBusiness.BMPAndRLEFile
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\PhotoDeluxe BE 1.1\PBE.exe %1

ProgramID: VuePrint
EXEFile: %SystemRoot%\vuepro32.exe %1

ProgramID: MozillaBMP
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\NETSCAPE\NETSCAPE\NETSCP.EXE -url %1

ProgramID: View Station Document
EXEFile: C:\View\Station\Image.exe %1

ProgramID: UltimatePaint
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\UP\upaint.exe %1

ProgramID: ACDSee 7.0.rle
EXEFile: blank

ProgramID: DojoFile
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Slawdog\DOJOPL~1\Dojo.exe %1

ProgramID: Photoshop.BMPFile.8
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Adobe\Photoshop CS\Photoshop.exe %1

ProgramID: MGIPS5.BMP
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Roxio\PhotoSuite\RoxioPhotoSuite.EXE %1

ProgramID: PaintShopPro9.Image
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Jasc Software Inc\Paint Shop Pro 9\Paint Shop Pro 9.exe /dde

ProgramID: ACDSee 7.0.rle
EXEFile: %SystemRoot%\Program Files\ACD Systems\ACDSee\7.0\ACDSee7.exe %1

ProgramID: Photoshop.BMPFile
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\PhotoshopElements.exe %1

ProgramID: Photoshop.BMPFile
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Adobe\Photoshop 6.0\Photoshp.exe %1

ProgramID: PSP6.Image
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\PAINTS~1\psp.exe /dde

ProgramID: MGIPS4_BMP
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\MGI\MGI PhotoSuite 4\PhotoSuite.exe %1

ProgramID: ACDSee.RLE
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ACDSYS~1\ACDSEE~1\ACDSEE.EXE /dde

ProgramID: ACDSee 8.0.rle
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ACD Systems\ACDSee\8.0\ACDSee8.exe %1

ProgramID: sp_RLE
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Shell Picture\ShellPicture.exe show %1

ProgramID: ACDSee.RLE
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Hewlett-Packard\PhotoSmart\ACD\ACDSee\ACDSee(HP).exe /dde

ProgramID: PaintShopProX.Image
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Corel\Corel Paint Shop Pro X\Paint Shop Pro X.exe

ProgramID: PhotoDraw.Document
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\MICROS~1\OFFICE\PHOTODRW.EXE

ProgramID: IrfanView.rle
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\IrfanView\i_view32.exe

ProgramID: Photoshop.BMPFile.9
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS2\Photoshop.exe

ProgramID: Photoshop.BMPFile
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Adobe\Photoshop 7.0\Photoshop.exe

ProgramID: ACDSee Pro.rle
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ACD Systems\ACDSee\8.0.Pro\ACDSee8Pro.exe

ProgramID: ROXIOPS8.BMP
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Roxio\Easy Media Creator 8\PhotoSuite\PhotoSuite8.exe /Edit

ProgramID: rlefile
EXEFile: %systemroot%\system32\mspaint.exe

ProgramID: SnapfireI.Image
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Corel\Corel Snapfire Plus\Corel Snapfire.exe

ProgramID: PhotoDeluxeBusiness.BMPAndRLEFile
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Canon Creative\pdeluxe\PBE.exe

ProgramID: FotoCanvas.RLE
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ACDSYS~1\FOTOCA~1\FOTOCA~1.EXE

ProgramID: Paint.Picture
EXEFile: rundll32.exe %SystemRoot%\system32\shimgvw.dll,ImageView_Fullscreen

ProgramID: MozillaBMP
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\MOZILLA.ORG\MOZILLA\MOZILLA.EXE -url

ProgramID: PV8.Image
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Ulead Systems\Ulead Photo Explorer 8.0\eViewer.exe

ProgramID: PV1.Image
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Ulead Systems\Ulead Photo Explorer 7.0\eViewer.exe

ProgramID: PhotoshopElements.BMPFile.5
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 5.0\PhotoshopElementsEditor.exe

ProgramID: PhotoshopElements.BMPFile.4
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 4.0\PhotoshopElementsEditor.exe

ProgramID: IrfanView.rle
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\IRFANV~1\i_view32.exe

ProgramID: ACDSee 9.0.rle
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\ACD Systems\ACDSee\9.0\ACDSeeQV.exe

ProgramID: MGIPS4_BMP
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Roxio\PhotoSuite 4\PhotoSuite.exe

ProgramID: ROXIOPS7.BMP
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Roxio\Easy Media Creator 7\PhotoSuite\PhotoSuite7.exe

ProgramID: PV8.Image
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Ulead Systems\Ulead Photo Explorer 8.0 SE Basic\eViewer.exe

ProgramID: PhotoFiltre.Bmp
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\_Graphix\Suites\PhotoFiltre\PhotoFiltre.exe

ProgramID: ROXIOPS9.BMP
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Roxio\PhotoSuite 9\PhotoSuite9.exe /Edit

ProgramID: Image Broadway
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\IMAGEB~1\IMAGEB5.EXE

ProgramID: iPE.Image
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Ulead Systems\Ulead Photo Express 2 SE\Ipe20.exe

ProgramID: DigitalFotoMaker.5.rle
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\MAGIX\FOTO_M~1\FOTOMA~1.EXE

ProgramID: MyViewPad.rle
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\My ViewPad\MyViewPad.exe

ProgramID: PhotoshopElements.BMPFile.6
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 6.0\PhotoshopElementsEditor.exe

Show all 72 listings To Top

an rle bitmap image is a special file format by Adobe and should only be edited and saved with the appropriate software.

How to solve problems with RLE files

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