Tips to open WMF file

Can't open the WMF file? You are not the only one. Thousands of users face similar problems every day. Below you will find tips on how to open WMF files as well as a list of programs that support WMF files.

WMF file extension

File Name Windows Metafile
File Developer Microsoft
File Category Vector Image Files

The WMF file is supported on 3 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the WMF files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the WMF file on each system platform.

Operating systems
  • 8
  • 4
  • 2
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is WMF file?

The WMF file has been categorized as Vector Image Files. It was designed by Microsoft. In addition to this file, the Vector Image Files category includes 138 related files. Windows Metafile is supported by 3 operating systems. The file will work on Linux, Mac OS, Windows systems, unfortunately not on others. It is recommended to use TurboCAD to handle this file. This is a program created by IMSI/Design, LLC.. This file type can also be opened by 18 other programs. You can use CorelDRAW, ACDSee, Adobe Illustrator, PaintShop Pro in case TurboCAD cannot be used.

How to open WMF file?

An often recurring problem with Windows Metafile is that WMF is not associated with the correct program file. This causes the file WMF to open by system applications not designed for this purpose, or to display a message that there is no associated program. How to solve such a problem?

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the WMF file icon you want to open. If the operating system has an appropriate application to support it and there is also an association between the file and the program, the file should be opened.

Step 1. Install TurboCAD

In this case, you should first verify that the TurboCAD application is installed on the computer. This can be achieved by typing TurboCAD into the operating system search engine. In the absence of an appropriate program, its installation in the vast majority of cases will fix the problem. Below you will find a list of applications that support WMF files.

Step 2. Create association of TurboCAD with WMF files

However, it may happen that the application itself does not cause the WMF file to open in the TurboCAD application, but you can set it manually. This option is available from the level of Properties of a specific file available in the context menu. The displayed window will contain information about the program that supports this type of file. Changes can be made using the "Change" button. It may happen that in the next window there will be no appropriate program - however, this can be corrected with the "Browse" option where you should manually indicate the program location. Checking the "Always use the selected program ..." box will permanently associate the WMF file with the TurboCAD program.

Step 3. Update TurboCAD to the latest version

If, despite the association of the TurboCAD program with the Windows Metafile file, the file still does not open, check the program version and possibly update it to the newest version. This can be done using the application (if it provides such options) or from the IMSI/Design, LLC. website and install the latest version.

Step 4. Check for the following problems with the WMF file

If the above steps do not help, you can assume that the file itself is not correct. This could be due to the file itself, the cleanest issues are:

The affected file may be 0 KB or smaller than expected. Usually this applies to WMF files downloaded from the Internet in case the download did not finish properly. The only repair option is to download the file again.
The computer may have fallen victim to a computer virus or hacker. A quick virus scan using an up-to-date antivirus program should clear up any doubts. If this is not possible, you can use the online scanner. For the best results, we will scan the entire operating system, not just our WMF file. As a result of the scan, sometimes it is not possible to recover WMF files, which are deleted if there is a backup of this file, then after restoring it, it must also be scanned.
This can happen especially when the program is dynamically developed and the structure of the WMF files changes over time. These problems are known and are often very easy to fix using the software developers's website.
The file may be corrupted in a number of ways. Depending on the type of file, it is necessary to repair it accordingly. Some programs offer the ability to automatically repair WMF file corruption. The easiest way to restore the file is from a backup or by contacting Microsoft, but this one can be expensive. Not all damage can be reversed.
When reading, a message appears that the file was encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted WMF files can be used by the device on which they were encrypted, on any other device it is required to have the appropriate cryptographic key and decrypt the file before its recovery.
Some operating systems do not allow file operations in certain locations, eg in system directories or directly on the system drive. While there is usually no problem reading such a file, it may not be possible to save it. If possible, you can try to move the WMF file to another location.
This problem only occurs with more complex files. Some file types can only be opened in one program at a time. Closing other programs should help. If the error persists after closing other programs, wait for a while. However, some background programs may block the WMF file while scanning. If the problem persists, restart the machine.