APE File

What are APE files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening an APE 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 APE files.

What is an APE file?

APE files have multiple uses, and APE Compressed Archive is one of them. Read more about the other uses further down the page.

APE Compressed Archive

We have not yet analyzed in detail what these files contain and what they are used for. We're working on it.

How to open APE files

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

While we have not verified the apps ourselves yet, our users have suggested ten different APE openers which you will find listed below.

Last updated: January 22, 2025

All known file formats using extension .APE

While APE Compressed Archive is a popular type of APE-file, we know of 2 different uses of the .APE file extension. Different software may use files with the same extension for different types of data.

Monkey's Audio File

Files that contain the .ape file extension are compressed audio files. The APE file format, also known as Monkey's Audio, is a lossless audio file format which allows a user to compress an audio file without losing any quality to the sound of the file.

APE files are similar to files saved in the popular MP3 file format, but the MP3 file format is a lossy file format, meaning the audio quality of the file is lost when the file is compressed. With the APE file format, loss of audio quality is not an issue during the compression of the file.

APE opener for Windows

We have identified 2 APE openers that are compatible with this specific type of APE file.

Various apps that use files with this extension

These apps are known to open certain types of APE files. Remember, different programs may use APE 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 APE file formats, example files, or compatible programs. Please use the links below or email us at submit@file.org to discuss further.