VEW File

What are VEW files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a VEW 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 VEW files.

What is a VEW file?

VEW files have multiple uses, and Lotus Approach View is one of them. Read more about the other uses further down the page.

Lotus Approach View

Lotus Approach View files (.VEW) are view-definition files used by the IBM/Lotus Approach relational database system. They store the layouts, formatting, presentation, and arrangements of database views (the way table data is displayed and joined), not the actual data itself. These files are written and managed within Lotus Approach when designing or modifying how data tables, forms, reports or joins appear to the user.

The typical workflow is that a user opens or builds a database in Lotus Approach (which uses data files like .DBF for the actual data), then creates or edits views - screens, reports, etc. - and saves those view definitions in .VEW files. These allow consistent display of data across different times or users without duplicating the underlying dataset.

Lotus Approach View files use the MIME type application/vnd.lotus-approach and are sometimes converted when upgrading between versions of Lotus Approach. They are related to .APR files (Approach application/database files) but focus specifically on view layout rather than the full database structure.

Technically, .VEW files produced by Lotus Approach can be identified by specific byte signatures: at offset 0 they begin with the bytes 0x0A0000000700, the sequence 0x000080 appears at offset 7, and the file contains the ASCII string ".VEW" somewhere inside.

How to open VEW files

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

Programs that open Lotus Approach View files

Last updated: August 14, 2026

All known file formats using extension .VEW

While Lotus Approach View is a popular type of VEW-file, we know of 2 different uses of the .VEW file extension. Different software may use files with the same extension for different types of data.

WarBirds Airplane Art

We know that one VEW format is WarBirds Airplane Art. We have not yet analyzed in detail what these files contain and what they are used for. We're working on it.

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

Various apps that use files with this extension

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