CPE File

What are CPE files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a CPE 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 CPE files.

What is a CPE file?

A .CPE file is a Windows FAX Cover file.

Windows FAX Cover files store templates for fax cover pages in a format created by Microsoft. They hold layout designs and placeholders for text fields like sender name, recipient company, address, date, subject, logo graphics, and similar visual elements. These files are used by Microsoft's Fax Cover Page Editor to define how the cover page appears when printing or sending a fax.

A file in this format is written only by Microsoft Fax Cover Page Editor (included with certain versions of Windows, especially older or enterprise Windows editions). The editor saves graphical elements, text field placements, and formatting so the same cover page design can be reused. When sending or printing a fax using the Windows Fax service, the selected template is filled with the specific message, contact details, and other metadata, then rendered for output by the fax subsystem.

Internally the file begins with the ASCII signature string FAXCOVER-VER at offset zero, which identifies this specific format. The format consists of a simple binary structure made up of variable-length records, each representing elements such as text objects, lines, shapes or bitmap graphics.

How to open CPE files

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

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

Last updated: September 2, 2026

Various apps that use files with this extension

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

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