Tips to open ARF file

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

ARF file extension

File Name WebEx Advanced Recording Format
File Developer WebEx Communicatons
File Category Video Files

The ARF file is supported on 2 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the ARF files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the ARF file on each system platform.

Operating systems
  • 5
  • 1
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is ARF file?

The .ARF file is a video file. This is a video conference recording downloaded from the WebEx platform. It is made in NBR technology and, apart from the video and audio stream, it has data such as: description of the meeting, its schedule or a list of participating users. In the case of an .ARF file, it is a session persisted by the server, and when the user saves the meeting, it is a .WRF file. Cisco WebEx software is required for restoration. It is also possible to convert to more universal formats.

How to open ARF file?

An often recurring problem with WebEx Advanced Recording Format is that ARF is not associated with the correct program file. This causes the file ARF to open by system applications not designed for this purpose, or to display a message that there is no associated program. This can be quickly resolved by following the instructions below.

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the ARF 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 WebEx Meeting Center

The first step is to check if the computer has the WebEx Meeting Center program installed. The easiest method is to use the system search engine by entering the program name WebEx Meeting Center in it. 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 ARF files.

Step 2. Create association of WebEx Meeting Center with ARF files

However, it may happen that the application itself does not cause the ARF file to open in the WebEx Meeting Center 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. If there is no software on the list, simply select "Browse" and manually select the directory where the application is installed. Checking the "Always use the selected program ..." box will permanently associate the ARF file with the WebEx Meeting Center program.

Step 3. Update WebEx Meeting Center to the latest version

If, despite the association of the WebEx Meeting Center program with the WebEx Advanced Recording Format 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 Cisco Systems, Inc. website and install the latest version.

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

The problem may also be with the file itself if the above steps don't work. 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 ARF files downloaded from the Internet in case the download did not finish properly. The only repair option is to download the file again.
The operating system may be infected with a computer virus. A quick virus scan using an up-to-date antivirus program should clear up any doubts. Some antivirus vendors also provide free online scanners. However, it is important to scan the entire system, not only the file ARF or the program directory. However, remember that not every infected ARF file can be recovered, so it is important to take care of regular backups.
Older version of ARF file may not always be supported by the latest software version. Help should be sought from the software developer, as they usually recommend using free file converters or installing an older version of the program.
There can be many reasons for this. Repairing is very dependent on the file type. Sometimes the program itself has options to repair the most popular ARF file corruption. The easiest way is to restore the file from a backup, if there is one, or contact WebEx Communicatons
When reading, a message appears that the file was encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted file ARF except for the special designation, works normally, but only on the device where it was encrypted, before transferring it to another machine, decryption is required.
Some of the system directories are excluded from modification. The problem is only writing to the file, not reading it. If possible, you can try to move the ARF file to another location.
This problem only occurs with more complex files. In this case, the ARF file is blocked by the first application to open it. Running programs (including those in the background) should be verified. If the error persists after closing other programs, wait for a while. However, some background programs may block the ARF file while scanning. If nothing helps, please reset the device.