Q File

What are Q files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a Q 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 Q file?

A .Q file is a Quantum Compressed Archive file.

Q Compressed Archive files are a compressed file format from MicroQuill Software that was designed to provide users with proprietary data compression capabilities. Contrary to its name, this file format does not incorporate quantum computing algorithms.

The .q file format was designed to provide high levels of compression while maintaining fast compression and decompression speeds. It achieves this by using a dictionary-based algorithm that can identify repeating patterns within a file and replace them with a shorter code.

The .q file format was invented in the 1990s, and is now considered obsolete and is not widely used or supported by mainstream software.

How to open Q files

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

Last updated: February 14, 2023

Various apps that use files with this extension

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