Tips to open HQX file

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

HQX file extension

File Name BinHex 4.0 Encoded Format
File Category Encoded Files

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

Operating systems
  • 5
  • 4
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is HQX file?

The file in the HQX format belongs to the Encoded Files category. Additionally, the Encoded Files category contains 236 of other files. BinHex 4.0 Encoded Format is most often found on 2 operating systems. The file will work on Mac OS, Windows systems, unfortunately not on others. There are also 8 alternative programs to handle the HQX file. ALZip, WinZip, MacDisk, MacImage will apply when it is not possible to use iArchiver.

How to open HQX file?

The most common problem when using BinHex 4.0 Encoded Format is that a specific HQX is not associated with the program. This is manifested by the fact that HQX 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 HQX 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 iArchiver

In this case, you should first verify that the iArchiver application is installed on the computer. To do this, enter the name iArchiver into the system search engine. If we do not have this program, it is worth installing it, as it will help you automatically associate the file HQX with iArchiver. Later in this article you will find a list of programs that can open HQX files.

Step 2. Create association of iArchiver with HQX files

However, it may happen that the application itself does not cause the HQX file to open in the iArchiver application, but you can set it manually. The association can be created using the drop-down list available by right-clicking on the file and selecting 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. 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. The "always use the selected program ..." field will set the iArchiver application as the default for handling the HQX file.

Step 3. Update iArchiver to the latest version

If, despite the association of the iArchiver program with the BinHex 4.0 Encoded Format file, the file still does not open, check the program version and possibly update it to the newest version.

Step 4. Check for the following problems with the HQX 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 HQX file may be unusually small compared to the original file. Usually this applies to HQX 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 virus scan using an up-to-date antivirus program should fix the problem. Alternatively, you can use the scanners available online. For the best results, we will scan the entire operating system, not just our HQX file. Sometimes virus-infected HQX files cannot be recovered, so make a backup in advance.
Older version of HQX 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. Repairing is very dependent on the file type. Sometimes the program itself has options to repair the most popular HQX file corruption.
The program can also signal the fact of encryption. The encrypted file HQX 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 operating systems do not allow file operations in certain locations, eg in system directories or directly on the system drive. The problem is only writing to the file, not reading it. Copying the HQX file to another location will fix the problem.
This problem usually affects more complex files. 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 HQX to close. 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.