BANK File

What are BANK files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a BANK 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 BANK files.

What is a BANK file?

A .BANK file is a FMOD Sound Bank file.

FMOD Sound Bank files store game audio data built by FMOD Studio so that a game can load, play, and manage events, sounds, and metadata efficiently at runtime. These files are produced by FMOD Studio during the build process. Once built, they are read by the FMOD Engine (via the Studio API) to deliver adaptive, immersive audio without requiring FMOD Studio to be installed in the final game.

Each bank bundles together audio assets (such as samples, streamed audio, etc.), metadata for events, buses, mixer settings, automation, and other sound-design elements. Developers assign events in the FMOD Studio project to one or more banks, then build those banks for specific platforms. In addition to the main banks, a special strings bank is generated (e.g. Master.strings.bank) containing readable names, paths, and globally unique identifiers (GUIDs) for events. Games can use either the GUIDs alone or load the strings bank to enable path/name lookups.

Bank files are binary and not human-readable. They include both metadata and sample data unless build settings separate them (e.g. metadata bank, assets bank, streams bank). One bank must be marked as a master bank; it contains project-wide settings (mix buses, VCAs, routing). The master bank must be loaded into memory before any event in any bank can be played.

Technical detail: the files begin with internal identifiers used by FMOD, but no public consistent byte signature is documented for .bank files in general that applies to all versions.

How to open BANK files

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

Last updated: August 23, 2026

Various apps that use files with this extension

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