Tips to open META file

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

META file extension

File Name RealPlayer Metafile
File Developer RealNetworks
File Category Video Files

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

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

What is META file?

The META file has been categorized as Video Files. The author of this format is RealNetworks. In addition to this file, the Video Files category includes 546 related files. RealPlayer Metafile appears on 2 operating systems as a functional file. These systems consist of Mac OS, Windows, although it may occasionally be found on another system, it will be non-functional. It is recommended to use RealPlayer to handle this file. This is a program created by RealNetworks, Inc.. Alternatively, you can use 1 other programs.

How to open META file?

The most common problem when using RealPlayer Metafile is that a specific META is not associated with the program. This causes the file META 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 META 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 RealPlayer

The first step is to check if the computer has the RealPlayer program installed. The easiest method is to use the system search engine by entering the program name RealPlayer in it. If it is not, installation may solve the problem, as most applications create file associations during installation. Below you will find a list of applications that support META files.

Programs to open META file

Remember to download programs supporting META files only from verified and safe sources. We suggest using the websites of software developers.

Step 2. Create association of RealPlayer with META files

If, despite the installed application, the META file does not start in the RealPlayer application, you must create a file association. 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 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 RealPlayer application as the default for handling the META file.

Step 3. Update RealPlayer to the latest version

If, despite the association of the RealPlayer program with the RealPlayer Metafile file, the file still does not open, check the program version and possibly update it to the newest version. In this case, use the RealNetworks, Inc. website or update the program from the application.

Step 4. Check for the following problems with the META 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 affected file may be 0 KB or smaller than expected. This suggests truncating the META file contents when downloading or copying. Downloading the file again should fix the problem.
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. Some antivirus vendors also provide free online scanners. However, it is important to scan the entire system, not only the file META or the program directory. However, remember that not every infected META 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 META 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. Repairing is very dependent on the file type. Sometimes the program itself has options to repair the most popular META file corruption. You can restore the file from a backup or use RealNetworks help.
When reading, a message appears that the file was encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted file META 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.
The operating system protects files in some locations (e.g. the root of the system partition) against unauthorized access. These directories are write-protected to them and it's very hard to fix this problem. If possible, you can try to move the META file to another location.
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 META to close. However, some background programs may block the META file while scanning. If this does not work either, restart the device.