Tips to open CAB file

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

CAB file extension

File Name Windows Cabinet Format
File Developer Microsoft
File Category System Files

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

Operating systems
  • 8
  • 3
  • 2
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is CAB file?

The file in the CAB format belongs to the System Files category. The creator of this file is Microsoft. System Files consists of 323 similar files. Windows Cabinet Format appears on 3 operating systems as a functional file. The file will work on Linux, Mac OS, Windows systems, unfortunately not on others. The WinZip application is recommended to open the file. It was released by WinZip Computing, S.L.. This file type can also be opened by 15 other programs. 7-Zip, WinRAR, Windows Installer, ZipGenius will apply when it is not possible to use WinZip.

How to open CAB file?

The most common problem when using Windows Cabinet Format is that a specific CAB is not associated with the program. This is manifested by the fact that CAB files open in unusual applications or do not have an assigned program. This problem can be easily remedied.

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the CAB 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 WinZip

The first step is to check if the computer has the WinZip program installed. The easiest method is to use the system search engine by entering the program name WinZip in it. In the absence of an appropriate program, its installation in the vast majority of cases will fix the problem. Below is a list of programs that support the file CAB.

Step 2. Create association of WinZip with CAB files

If the application is or has been freshly installed, but the CAB file still does not use the WinZip program, it means no association. The association can be created using the drop-down list available by right-clicking on the file and selecting Properties. The window will show, among other things, the type of the file and the information by which the program is used to launch the file. 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 CAB file with the WinZip program.

Step 3. Update WinZip to the latest version

If, despite the association of the WinZip program with the Windows Cabinet Format file, the file still does not open, check the program version and possibly update it to the newest version. In this case, use the WinZip Computing, S.L. website or update the program from the application.

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

Very often, the file may be size 0 or incomplete. This suggests truncating the CAB file contents when downloading or copying. The file should be downloaded again, making sure that the process has finished correctly.
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 CAB or the program directory. However, remember that not every infected CAB file can be recovered, so it is important to take care of regular backups.
Older version of CAB file may not always be supported by the latest software version. These problems are known and are often very easy to fix using the software developers's website.
There can be many reasons for the failure. Depending on the type of file, it is necessary to repair it accordingly. Sometimes the program itself has options to repair the most popular CAB file corruption. You can restore the file from a backup or use Microsoft help.
The program can also signal the fact of encryption. The encrypted CAB 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. The problem is only writing to the file, not reading it. If possible, you can try to move the CAB file to another location.
This problem usually affects more complex files. In this case, the CAB file is blocked by the first application to open it. Closing other programs should help. If the error persists after closing other programs, wait for a while. Antivirus programs or a backup being made may lock the file for a while without the user's knowledge. If the problem persists, restart the machine.