Tips to open RSS file

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

RSS file extension

File Name Rich Site Summary
File Category Web Files

The RSS file is supported on 5 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the RSS files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the RSS file on each system platform.

Operating systems
  • 3
  • 5
  • 2
  • 1
  • 1
  • 0

What is RSS file?

The file with the extension RSS is the Web Files file type. Web Files consists of 303 similar files. Rich Site Summary is supported by 5 operating systems. The file will work on Android, iOS, Linux, Mac OS, Windows systems, unfortunately not on others. It is recommended to use Mozilla Firefox to handle this file. This is a program created by Mozilla. There are also 11 alternative programs to handle the RSS file. The NetNewsWire, BottomFeeder, FeedDemon, WebReader programs will also handle the file when the Mozilla Firefox program does not fulfill its role.

How to open RSS file?

The most common problem when using Rich Site Summary is that a specific RSS is not associated with the program. This causes the file RSS 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 RSS 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 Mozilla Firefox

In this case, you should first verify that the Mozilla Firefox application is installed on the computer. This can be achieved by typing Mozilla Firefox 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 RSS with Mozilla Firefox. Later in this article you will find a list of programs that can open RSS files.

Programs to open RSS file

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

Step 2. Create association of Mozilla Firefox with RSS files

If the application is or has been freshly installed, but the RSS file still does not use the Mozilla Firefox 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 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. However, it is important to check the "Always use the selected program ..." box, this will allow you to permanently associate the RSS file with the Mozilla Firefox application.

Step 3. Update Mozilla Firefox to the latest version

If, despite the association of the Mozilla Firefox program with the Rich Site Summary file, the file still does not open, check the program version and possibly update it to the newest version. This can be done using the application (if it provides such options) or from the Mozilla website and install the latest version.

Step 4. Check for the following problems with the RSS 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 RSS file may be unusually small compared to the original file. This is most often caused by a problem while downloading the RSS file. 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. Some antivirus vendors also provide free online scanners. However, it is important to scan the entire system, not only the file RSS or the program directory. Sometimes virus-infected RSS files cannot be recovered, so make a backup in advance.
Older version of RSS file may not always be supported by the latest software version. Help should be sought from the software developer, as they usually recommend using free file converters or installing an older version of the program.
There can be many reasons for this. Repairing is very dependent on the file type. Some programs offer the ability to automatically repair RSS file corruption. The easiest way is to restore the file from a backup, if there is one, or contact N/A
The program indicates that the file is encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted RSS 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 of the system directories are excluded from modification. The problem is only writing to the file, not reading it. Copying the RSS 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 the problem persists, restart the machine.