SWF File Type

- The quick facts

What are SWF files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a SWF 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 SWF file?

A .SWF file is a Macromedia Flash Player Movie file.

The .swf extension stands for Small Web Format. The SWF file format was designed to deliver graphics and animations over the Internet to be viewable on a user's computer.

Animations and graphics that are designed with the Adobe Flash software are saved in .swf format. These files can contain both text and graphics. The .swf file format is the resulting file format for all Flash content.

Adobe Flash was first developed by Macromedia, which was acquired by Adobe in 2005. SWF files are "end product" files for user viewing and, as such, are read-only files that cannot be changed or edited.

How to open SWF files

We have identified 6 SWF openers that are compatible with this specific type of SWF file.

Programs that open Macromedia Flash Player Movie files

Last updated: March 17, 2022

Suggest another file format using extension SWF

While we know of one file format using the .SWF 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 .SWF file.

Various apps that use files with this extension

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