AWA File

What are AWA files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening an AWA 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 AWA files.

What is an AWA file?

AWA files have multiple uses, and AnimationWorks Accelerated movie is one of them. Read more about the other uses further down the page.

AnimationWorks Accelerated movie

These AWA files contain animations created in Vectorworks, a software that allows you to create complicated camera or object animations. AnimationWorks is an add-on for Vectorworks. You can view these AWA files in any supported media player as a QuickTime movie. These are 3D animations combined with a camera path to allow you to create a short film.

How to open AWA files

Important: Different programs may use files with the AWA file extension for different purposes, so unless you are sure which format your AWA 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 AWA opener which you will find listed below.

Last updated: August 22, 2026

All known file formats using extension .AWA

While AnimationWorks Accelerated movie is a popular type of AWA-file, we know of 2 different uses of the .AWA file extension. Different software may use files with the same extension for different types of data.

Astound Animation

Astound Animation files are the document format used by the Gold Disk presentation authoring application called Astound. These files store entire multimedia slide shows, including text, graphics, animations, sound, slide transitions, templates, and embedded movies. The purpose of the format is to enable users to build complex presentations with animated effects and audiovisual content using Astound's editing tools, and later show or export them for projection or display.

Astound, developed by Gold Disk Inc., is the software that writes and reads these files. It is a multimedia presentation authoring program available for the Macintosh and Windows platforms that supports creating self-contained presentations which can include imported graphics, QuickTime movies, audio files, interactive elements, templates, slide masters, and animation properties. Users typically build content in Astound, then view or export the presentation using Astound's runtime or player.

Astound Animation files begin with a header signature that distinguishes them from other AWA formats. They start with the ASCII characters "GDAW" at byte offset 0, and include "RSRC" at offset 8.

Various apps that use files with this extension

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