IMAGE File

What are IMAGE files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening an IMAGE 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 IMAGE files.

What is an IMAGE file?

IMAGE files have multiple uses, and AVM FRITZ!Box Firmware is one of them. Read more about the other uses further down the page.

AVM FRITZ!Box Firmware

We have not yet analyzed in detail what these files contain and what they are used for. We're working on it.

How to open IMAGE files

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

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

Last updated: August 7, 2026

All known file formats using extension .IMAGE

While AVM FRITZ!Box Firmware is a popular type of IMAGE-file, we know of 3 different uses of the .IMAGE file extension. Different software may use files with the same extension for different types of data.

CoLOS Image

We know that one IMAGE format is CoLOS Image. We have not yet analyzed in detail what these files contain and what they are used for. We're working on it.

Squeak Data Image

Squeak Data Image files are snapshots of a live Squeak Smalltalk environment saved to disk so it can be resumed later. The program Squeak creates them through its image saving mechanism. These files capture everything in the system's "object memory" - all objects, class definitions, and execution state - but they do not contain the human-readable source code for the system (that lives separately in .sources and .changes files). Squeak image files are platform-independent, meaning the same file can run under a Windows, macOS, Linux or other OS version of the Squeak VM.

When the Squeak VM is started with a .image file, it reads a header section followed by a binary snapshot of object memory. The header contains an integer "image format" number that lets the VM detect whether it understands the image's structure, such as whether it supports closure objects, native float word ordering, or the Spur object format. If the format is too new, the VM will reject loading.

Technically, the image format version is stored as a 32-bit integer in the header. The header also includes the total size of the image file, where object memory begins, special object pointers, saved screen/window dimensions, VM‐specific flags, and extra memory required by the VM. Byte order (endianness) and word size vary with the image format, and the VM infers them from the header.

IMAGE opener for Windows

We have identified one IMAGE opener that is compatible with this specific type of IMAGE file.

Various apps that use files with this extension

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