Tips to open MSHA file

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

MSHA file extension

File Name Microsoft Help Asset Format
File Developer Microsoft
File Category Developer Files

The MSHA file is supported on 1 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the MSHA files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the MSHA file on each system platform.

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

What is MSHA file?

The file in the MSHA format belongs to the Developer Files category. The creator of this file is Microsoft. Additionally, the Developer Files category contains 1205 of other files. Microsoft Help Asset Format appears on 1 operating systems as a functional file. The file will work on Windows systems, unfortunately not on others. The main program that supports this format is Microsoft Visual Studio. This was created by Microsoft Corporation. This file type can also be opened by 4 other programs. Microsoft Windows Help, FAR, Windows Notepad, MSHC Migration Utility will apply when it is not possible to use Microsoft Visual Studio.

How to open MSHA file?

An often recurring problem with Microsoft Help Asset Format is that MSHA is not associated with the correct program file. This is manifested by the fact that MSHA 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 MSHA 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 Microsoft Visual Studio

In this case, you should first verify that the Microsoft Visual Studio application is installed on the computer. To do this, enter the name Microsoft Visual Studio 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 MSHA with Microsoft Visual Studio. Later in this article you will find a list of programs that can open MSHA files.

Step 2. Create association of Microsoft Visual Studio with MSHA files

If, despite the installed application, the MSHA file does not start in the Microsoft Visual Studio 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. Information about the file and the program that the file is associated with are available here. 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 Microsoft Visual Studio application as the default for handling the MSHA file.

Step 3. Update Microsoft Visual Studio to the latest version

The fault may also lie with the Microsoft Visual Studio program, it is possible that Microsoft Help Asset 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 Microsoft Corporation page and install.

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

Very often, the file may be size 0 or incomplete. Usually this applies to MSHA files downloaded from the Internet in case the download did not finish properly. 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. For the best results, we will scan the entire operating system, not just our MSHA file. However, remember that not every infected MSHA file can be recovered, so it is important to take care of regular backups.
Older version of MSHA file may not always be supported by the latest software version. On their websites, developers usually offer free solutions to such problems, e.g. in the form of a conversion program or an older version of the program.
The file may be corrupted in a number of ways. Repairing is very dependent on the file type. Sometimes the program itself has options to repair the most popular MSHA file corruption. The easiest way is to restore the file from a backup, if there is one, or contact Microsoft
The program can also signal the fact of encryption. The encrypted MSHA 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.
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 MSHA file to another location will fix the problem.
This problem only occurs with more complex files. Some file types can only be opened in one program at a time. Running programs (including those in the background) should be verified. Sometimes you have to wait for the session to the file MSHA 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.