PFX File

What are PFX files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a PFX 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 PFX files.

What is a PFX file?

PFX files have multiple uses, and CA Visual Objects Prefix is one of them. Read more about the other uses further down the page.

CA Visual Objects Prefix

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 PFX files

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

Last updated: August 10, 2026

All known file formats using extension .PFX

While CA Visual Objects Prefix is a popular type of PFX-file, we know of 2 different uses of the .PFX file extension. Different software may use files with the same extension for different types of data.

PKCS #12 Certificate File

The .PFX file is a PKCS #12 Certificate File. It holds a secure bundle of digital certificates together with private key(s), used for authenticating a person, device, or server. Systems that need to prove identity - such as web servers running SSL/TLS, applications for code-signing, or email clients using S/MIME - use this format to transport the certificate and matching private key in one package. The file is password-protected and encrypted so only someone with the password can unpack its contents.

One main program that creates .PFX files is KeyStore Explorer, a graphical tool that lets users generate, import, export, and delete keys and certificates in a keystore. Keystore Explorer can export a private key and certificate chain into a .PFX file so that the data can be safely moved to another computer or system. Once a .PFX file exists, compatible software will import it - that means it reads it and extracts the certificate and private key so they can be used. Importing software often prompts for the password to unlock the file.

Internally the PKCS #12 format is a binary container (DER-encoded) defined by RFC 7292. Its structure includes one or more "SafeBags" that store items such as private keys (KeyBag or PKCS8ShroudedKeyBag), certificates (CertBag), certificate revocation lists or other generic data. It supports integrity protection (a MAC or digital signature) and encryption of both the blobs in SafeBags and optionally the certificates.

PFX opener for Windows

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

Various apps that use files with this extension

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