Tips to open FASTA file

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

FASTA file extension

File Name FASTA Sequence Format
File Category Data Files

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

Operating systems
  • 5
  • 3
  • 1
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is FASTA file?

The file in the FASTA format belongs to the Data Files category. Additionally, the Data Files category contains 1326 of other files. FASTA Sequence Format appears on 3 operating systems as a functional file. Although it can be found with greater or lesser success on any operating system, it will only be useful on Linux, Mac OS, Windows. The main program that supports this format is SnapGene. This was created by GSL Biotech. This file type can also be opened by 8 other programs. The DNA Baser, SeqVerter, Geospiza FinchTV, BSEdit programs will also handle the file when the SnapGene program does not fulfill its role.

How to open FASTA file?

An often recurring problem with FASTA Sequence Format is that FASTA is not associated with the correct program file. This causes the file FASTA to open by system applications not designed for this purpose, or to display a message that there is no associated program. This problem can be easily remedied.

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the FASTA 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 SnapGene

The first step is to check if the computer has the SnapGene program installed. To do this, enter the name SnapGene into the system search engine. 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 FASTA.

Step 2. Create association of SnapGene with FASTA files

If the application is or has been freshly installed, but the FASTA file still does not use the SnapGene program, it means no association. It is most convenient to call the context menu with the right mouse button and select Properties. The displayed window will contain information about the program that supports this type of 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. The "always use the selected program ..." field will set the SnapGene application as the default for handling the FASTA file.

Step 3. Update SnapGene to the latest version

If, however, after binding SnapGene with FASTA Sequence Format there were still problems, you should update the program to the latest version. This can be done using the application (if it provides such options) or from the GSL Biotech website and install the latest version.

Step 4. Check for the following problems with the FASTA 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 FASTA file may be unusually small compared to the original file. Usually this applies to FASTA files downloaded from the Internet in case the download did not finish properly. Downloading the file again should fix the problem.
The most common cause here is computer viruses. A virus scan using an up-to-date antivirus program should fix the problem. Some antivirus vendors also provide free online scanners. However, it is important to scan the entire system, not only the file FASTA or the program directory. However, remember that not every infected FASTA 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 FASTA files changes over time. 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. Some programs offer the ability to automatically repair FASTA file corruption. The easiest way to restore the file is from a backup or by contacting N/A, but this one can be expensive. Not all damage can be reversed.
The program can also signal the fact of encryption. The encrypted FASTA files cannot be played on other computers than the one on which they were encrypted, they must be decrypted before using on another device.
Some of the system directories are excluded from modification. These directories are write-protected to them and it's very hard to fix this problem. It is best to move FASTA to a different directory.
This can happen on a file that does not support multiple access. Some file types can only be opened in one program at a time. 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 FASTA file while scanning. If this does not work either, restart the device.