Tips to open IFF file

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

IFF file extension

File Name Interchange Format
File Developer Electronic Arts
File Category Audio Files

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

Operating systems
  • 5
  • 2
  • 1
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is IFF file?

The file in the IFF format belongs to the Audio Files category. The author of this format is Electronic Arts. In addition to this file, the Audio Files category includes 771 related files. Interchange Format appears on 3 operating systems as a functional file. The file will work on Linux, Mac OS, Windows systems, unfortunately not on others. It is recommended to use QuickTime Player to handle this file. This is a program created by Apple, Inc.. Alternatively, you can use 7 other programs. The ACDSee, PaintShop Pro, XnView, IrfanView programs will also handle the file when the QuickTime Player program does not fulfill its role.

How to open IFF file?

The main problem with Interchange Format is that the IFF file is incorrectly associated with programs. This causes the file IFF to open by system applications not designed for this purpose, or to display a message that there is no associated program. How to solve such a problem?

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the IFF 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 QuickTime Player

The first step is to check if the computer has the QuickTime Player program installed. The easiest method is to use the system search engine by entering the program name QuickTime Player in it. If it is not, installation may solve the problem, as most applications create file associations during installation. Later in this article you will find a list of programs that can open IFF files.

Step 2. Create association of QuickTime Player with IFF files

If the application is or has been freshly installed, but the IFF file still does not use the QuickTime Player 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 select the desired program. It may happen that in the next window there will be no appropriate program - however, this can be corrected with the "Browse" option where you should manually indicate the program location. The "always use the selected program ..." field will set the QuickTime Player application as the default for handling the IFF file.

Step 3. Update QuickTime Player to the latest version

The fault may also lie with the QuickTime Player program, it is possible that Interchange Format requires a newer version of the program. Some applications allow you to update from the program level, and for others you need to download the installer from the Apple, Inc. page and install.

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

The problem may also be with the file itself if the above steps don't work. File problems can be divided into the following:

The IFF file may be unusually small compared to the original file. This suggests truncating the IFF file contents when downloading or copying. 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 IFF file. Sometimes virus-infected IFF files cannot be recovered, so make a backup in advance.
A typical compatibility error - the program does not support the older version of the IFF file. Help should be sought from the software developer, as they usually recommend using free file converters or installing an older version of the program.
The file may be corrupted in a number of ways. The repair method must be adapted to the type of file and damage. Some programs offer the option of recovering data from damaged IFF files. You can restore the file from a backup or use Electronic Arts help.
The program can also signal the fact of encryption. The encrypted file IFF 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. It is best to move IFF 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. Closing other programs should help. Sometimes you have to wait for the session to the file IFF to close. Some anti-virus or backup software may occupy the IFF file for a certain period of time. If this does not work either, restart the device.