STU File

What are STU files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a STU 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 STU files.

What is a STU file?

A .STU file is a Pinnacle Studio Video Project file.

Pinnacle Studio Video Project files with the .stu extension were used by early versions of Pinnacle Studio to save a video editing project in progress. They recorded all your editing work - timeline edits, effects, transitions, titles, audio tracks, video clips, and references to your source media - so you could close the software and resume working later. These files did not contain the actual footage, just pointers to where that footage and media lived on your hard drive or storage.

As software evolved, Pinnacle replaced .stu project files with other formats. Projects built in .stu are legacy; modern versions of Pinnacle Studio no longer support writing them. To open or convert an old .stu project, you must use an early version of Pinnacle Studio that originally worked with .stu files. Once opened in that older version, you can export or re-save the project into newer formats the current software can understand.

Technically, a .stu file is a binary project container identifiable by a signature at its start. It begins with the ASCII bytes "ali" at offset 0, contains the ASCII string "Clip" at offset 16, and includes the characters ".STU" somewhere within its data.

How to open STU files

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

Programs that open Pinnacle Studio Video Project files

Last updated: August 13, 2026

Various apps that use files with this extension

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

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File.org helps thousands of users every day, and we would love to hear from you if you have additional information about STU file formats, example files, or compatible programs. Please use the links below or email us at submit@file.org to discuss further.