Tips to open ACE file

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

ACE file extension

File Name WinAce Compressed Format
File Developer WinAce
File Category Compressed Files

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

Operating systems
  • 8
  • 2
  • 1
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is ACE file?

The .ACE file is an archive file. It is a format related to WinACE software. The program offered compression using a proprietary algorithm and worked with several popular formats. The free Unace decompression program also deserves recognition, as it allowed for quick decompression of the ACE archives, despite the fact that it was only in the console version. The last release of the program was in 2007, and 10 years later the website stopped working, which could be considered the official end of the application.

How to open ACE file?

An often recurring problem with WinAce Compressed Format is that ACE is not associated with the correct program file. This is manifested by the fact that ACE files open in unusual applications or do not have an assigned program. How to solve such a problem?

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the ACE 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 The Unarchiver

The first step is to check if the computer has the The Unarchiver program installed. To do this, enter the name The Unarchiver into the system search engine. If it is not, installation may solve the problem, as most applications create file associations during installation. Below is a list of programs that support the file ACE.

Step 2. Create association of The Unarchiver with ACE files

However, it may happen that the application itself does not cause the ACE file to open in the The Unarchiver 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. Information about the file and the program that the file is associated with are available here. Using the "Change" button we can set the program to handle this type. The program should be visible in the window, otherwise it should be selected manually using the "Browse" button and the program installation directory should be indicated. However, it is important to check the "Always use the selected program ..." box, this will allow you to permanently associate the ACE file with the The Unarchiver application.

Step 3. Update The Unarchiver to the latest version

If, despite the association of the The Unarchiver program with the WinAce Compressed Format file, the file still does not open, check the program version and possibly update it to the newest version. Some applications allow you to update from the program level, and for others you need to download the installer from the Dag ?gren/WAHa.06x36 page and install.

Step 4. Check for the following problems with the ACE 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:

Very often, the file may be size 0 or incomplete. Usually this applies to ACE 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. Some antivirus vendors also provide free online scanners. For the best results, we will scan the entire operating system, not just our ACE file. However, remember that not every infected ACE file can be recovered, so it is important to take care of regular backups.
This can happen especially when the program is dynamically developed and the structure of the ACE files changes over time. On their websites, developers usually offer free solutions to such problems, e.g. in the form of a conversion program or an older version of the program.
There can be many reasons for the failure. Repairing is very dependent on the file type. Some programs offer the ability to automatically repair ACE file corruption. The easiest way to restore the file is from a backup or by contacting WinAce, 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 ACE 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.
The operating system protects files in some locations (e.g. the root of the system partition) against unauthorized access. While there is usually no problem reading such a file, it may not be possible to save it. It is best to move ACE to a different directory.
This can happen on a file that does not support multiple access. You may find that another program you are using is preventing you from working with the file. Closing other programs should help. Sometimes you have to wait for the session to the file ACE to close. Some anti-virus or backup software may occupy the ACE file for a certain period of time. If nothing helps, please reset the device.