ACMI File

What are ACMI files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening an ACMI 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 ACMI files.

What is an ACMI file?

An .ACMI file is a Tacview Recording file.

Tacview Recording files are plain-text flight telemetry logs produced by Tacview software. They are created whenever you record a simulation or real-world flight using Tacview or one of its data exporters such as for DCS, X-Plane, Microsoft Flight Simulator, IL-2, or Lockheed Martin Prepar3D. The file captures detailed position, orientation, speed, attitude, and other status information for aircraft and other objects over time, allowing playback and analysis of aerial missions or maneuvers.

These files are used primarily for post-flight review, mission debriefing, training, or research, letting you replay what happened and examine how aircraft moved and behaved. The record is typically started from within Tacview or via a plugin/exporter in your flight simulator. Once saved, Tacview - or any tool that supports this format - reads the data to render a 3D reconstruction of the flight, enabling views from different angles, time-based comparisons, and performance evaluations.

ACMI files begin with identifiable header lines such as FileType=text/acmi/tacview and FileVersion, followed by metadata fields like ReferenceTime, RecordingTime, Title, DataRecorder, and DataSource. Later lines record time-stamped object state entries with keywords such as Type, Name, Coalition, and positional or orientation data.

How to open ACMI files

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

While we have not verified the app ourselves yet, our users have suggested a single ACMI opener which you will find listed below.

Last updated: August 17, 2026

Various apps that use files with this extension

These apps are known to open certain types of ACMI files. Remember, different programs may use ACMI files for different purposes, so you may need to try out a few of them to be able to open your specific file.

Help us help others

File.org helps thousands of users every day, and we would love to hear from you if you have additional information about ACMI file formats, example files, or compatible programs. Please use the links below or email us at submit@file.org to discuss further.