A8K File

What are A8K files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening an A8K file or are you simply curious about its contents? We're here to explain the properties of these files and provide you with software that can open or handle your A8K files.

What is an A8K file?

An .A8K file is an Atari800Win Plus Keyboard file.

Atari800Win Plus Keyboard files store custom keyboard layout or mapping settings for the Atari800Win Plus emulator. These files let users remap which physical keys on a PC keyboard correspond to Atari keyboard or joystick functions, so you can configure how input works within the emulator.

The emulator lets you modify keysets (for example "Keyset A") under its Input → Keyboard or Mapping options so that certain host keys (like PC letters, control keys, arrows) are assigned to Atari actions (joystick fire, Atari "Break", Atari "HELP", etc.). When you save those mapping settings through the emulator's menu, a .A8K file is created to preserve your custom layout so it can be loaded again. These .A8K files are not game files or snapshots but simply user-defined input configuration data.

Internally a .A8K file begins with a three-byte signature "A8K" followed by a version byte (0x01) at offset 0, in ASCII notation "A8K" then 0x01.

How to open A8K files

Important: Different programs may use files with the A8K file extension for different purposes, so unless you are sure which format your A8K file is, you may need to try a few different programs.

We have not yet verified any programs for Windows that work with this specific file format. If you know one, please use the 'Suggest a program' link below. Thanks!

Last updated: August 16, 2026

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