FASTA File Type

- The quick facts

What are FASTA files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a FASTA file or just wondering what they contain? We explain what these files are used for and show you software that we know can open or otherwise handle your files.

What is a FASTA file?

The FASTA file extension indicates to your device which app can open the file. However, different programs may use the FASTA file type for different types of data.

While we do not yet describe the FASTA file format and its common uses, we do know which programs are known to open these files, as we receive dozens of suggestions from users like yourself every day about specific file types and which programs they use to open them.

We are continually working on adding more file type descriptions to the site, so if you have information about FASTA files that you think will help others, please use the Update Info link below to submit it to us - we'd love to hear from you!

How to open FASTA files

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

While we have not verified the apps ourselves yet, our users have suggested 14 different FASTA openers which you will find listed below.

Various apps that use files with this extension

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