Tips to open PICT file

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

PICT file extension

File Name Picture Format
File Developer Apple
File Category Raster Image Files

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

Operating systems
  • 8
  • 7
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is PICT file?

The file with the extension PICT is the Raster Image Files file type. It was designed by Apple. Raster Image Files consists of 522 similar files. Picture Format is most often found on 2 operating systems. These systems consist of Mac OS, Windows, although it may occasionally be found on another system, it will be non-functional. There are also 15 alternative programs to handle the PICT file. The Adobe After Effects, CorelDRAW, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Fireworks programs will also handle the file when the Apple Preview program does not fulfill its role.

How to open PICT file?

An often recurring problem with Picture Format is that PICT is not associated with the correct program file. Thus, when you open PICT, the program selection wizard or some other program starts. This can be quickly resolved by following the instructions below.

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the PICT 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 Apple Preview

An often overlooked issue is to make sure that Apple Preview is installed on the computer. This can be achieved by typing Apple Preview into the operating system search engine. If we do not have this program, it is worth installing it, as it will help you automatically associate the file PICT with Apple Preview. Below is a list of programs that support the file PICT.

Step 2. Create association of Apple Preview with PICT files

If the application is or has been freshly installed, but the PICT file still does not use the Apple Preview program, it means no association. It is most convenient to call the context menu with the right mouse button and select 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. Using the "Change" button we can set the program to handle this type. If there is no software on the list, simply select "Browse" and manually select the directory where the application is installed. The "always use the selected program ..." field will set the Apple Preview application as the default for handling the PICT file.

Step 3. Update Apple Preview to the latest version

If, however, after binding Apple Preview with Picture Format there were still problems, you should update the program to the latest version.

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

Of course, it may happen that despite the above steps, the file still does not work. This could be due to the file itself, the cleanest issues are:

Very often, the file may be size 0 or incomplete. This suggests truncating the PICT file contents when downloading or copying. The file should be downloaded again, making sure that the process has finished correctly.
The most common cause here is computer viruses. 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 PICT file that we want to open. Sometimes virus-infected PICT files cannot be recovered, so make a backup in advance.
A typical compatibility error - the program does not support the older version of the PICT file. 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 the failure. The repair method must be adapted to the type of file and damage. Some programs offer the option of recovering data from damaged PICT files.
When reading, a message appears that the file was encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted PICT files cannot be played on other computers than the one on which they were encrypted, they must be decrypted before using on another device.
The operating system protects files in some locations (e.g. the root of the system partition) against unauthorized access. While there is usually no problem reading such a file, it may not be possible to save it. If possible, you can try to move the PICT file to another location.
This can happen on a file that does not support multiple access. In this case, the PICT file is blocked by the first application to open it. Running programs (including those in the background) should be verified. 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.