Tips to open MST file

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

MST file extension

File Name Windows Installer Setup Transform Format
File Developer Microsoft
File Category Settings Files

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

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

What is MST file?

The file in the MST format belongs to the Settings Files category. It was designed by Microsoft. Additionally, the Settings Files category contains 1305 of other files. Windows Installer Setup Transform Format appears on 1 operating systems as a functional file. These systems consist of Windows, although it may occasionally be found on another system, it will be non-functional. The main program that supports this format is Windows Installer. This was created by Microsoft Corporation. There are also 3 alternative programs to handle the MST file. The Microsoft Windows, MST File Viewer, Windows Installer XML programs will also handle the file when the Windows Installer program does not fulfill its role.

How to open MST file?

An often recurring problem with Windows Installer Setup Transform Format is that MST is not associated with the correct program file. This causes the file MST 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 MST 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 Windows Installer

The first step is to check if the computer has the Windows Installer program installed. The easiest method is to use the system search engine by entering the program name Windows Installer in it. In the absence of an appropriate program, its installation in the vast majority of cases will fix the problem. Below you will find a list of applications that support MST files.

Step 2. Create association of Windows Installer with MST files

If the application is or has been freshly installed, but the MST file still does not use the Windows Installer program, it means no association. The association can be created using the drop-down list available by right-clicking on the file and selecting Properties. The window will show, among other things, the type of the file and the information by which the program is used to launch the file. Changes can be made using the "Change" button. 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. However, it is important to check the "Always use the selected program ..." box, this will allow you to permanently associate the MST file with the Windows Installer application.

Step 3. Update Windows Installer to the latest version

The fault may also lie with the Windows Installer program, it is possible that Windows Installer Setup Transform Format requires a newer version of the program. This can be done using the application (if it provides such options) or from the Microsoft Corporation website and install the latest version.

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

The problem may also be with the file itself if the above steps don't work. This could be due to the file itself, the cleanest issues are:

The affected file may be 0 KB or smaller than expected. This is most often caused by a problem while downloading the MST file. Downloading the file again should fix the problem.
The operating system may be infected with a computer virus. A virus scan using an up-to-date antivirus program should fix the problem. If this is not possible, you can use the online scanner. The scan should cover the entire computer, not only the MST file that we want to open. Sometimes virus-infected MST files cannot be recovered, so make a backup in advance.
This can happen especially when the program is dynamically developed and the structure of the MST files changes over time. 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.
There can be many reasons for this. Depending on the type of file, it is necessary to repair it accordingly. Some programs offer the ability to automatically repair MST file corruption. The easiest way is to restore the file from a backup, if there is one, or contact Microsoft
The program indicates that the file is encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted file MST 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. While there is usually no problem reading such a file, it may not be possible to save it. Copying the MST 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. Just close unnecessary programs. If the error persists after closing other programs, wait for a while. Antivirus programs or a backup being made may lock the file for a while without the user's knowledge. If this does not work either, restart the device.