HFS File - opening and understanding
Did your computer fail to open a HFS file? We explain what they are used for and recommend software that we know can open or otherwise handle your .HFS files.
What is a HFS file?
A .HFS file is a Hierarchical File System disk image file. Files with file extension HFS contain files and folders in Hierarchical File System format, a file system used by Macintosh floppy disks, disk drives, and CD/DVDs.
The first version is also referred to as Mac OS Standard, while the newer version, HFS+, is referred to as Mac OS Extended.
If you need to access the files inside an HFS file, you either need to mount it as a drive on a Macintosh computer or extract the data with a data extraction tool. If you extract the data, you likely cannot run the programs contained in the HFS file, but you can inspect the data files.
How to open HFS files
You will need a program compatible with the specific file you are trying to open, as different programs may use files with file extension HFS for different purposes. We have identified 3 HFS openers for Windows that is compatible with this specific type of HFS file.
Programs that open these files
 | BitZipper | Verified |
 | 7-Zip | Verified |
 | PowerArchiver | Verified |
Suggest another file format using extension HFS
While we know of one file format using the .HFS file extension, there may be more. It is widespread that different programs use files with the same file extension for very different types of data. Please let us know if you are aware of a different kind of .HFS file.
Not sure exactly what type of file you are trying to open? Try our new File Analyzer. It is a free tool that can identify more than 11,000 different kinds of files - most likely yours too! It will help you find software that can handle your specific type of file. Download File Analyzer here.