Tips to open UNL file

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

UNL file extension

File Name Garmin Unlock Format
File Developer Garmin
File Category Misc Files

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

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

What is UNL file?

The UNL file has been categorized as Misc Files. The author of this format is Garmin. In addition to this file, the Misc Files category includes 6033 related files. Garmin Unlock Format is supported by 1 operating systems. Although it can be found with greater or lesser success on any operating system, it will only be useful on Windows. The MapSource application is recommended to open the file. It was released by Garmin Ltd..

How to open UNL file?

The main problem with Garmin Unlock Format is that the UNL file is incorrectly associated with programs. This causes the file UNL to open by system applications not designed for this purpose, or to display a message that there is no associated program. This problem can be easily remedied.

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the UNL 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 MapSource

The first step is to check if the computer has the MapSource program installed. To do this, enter the name MapSource 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 UNL with MapSource. Below is a list of programs that support the file UNL.

Programs to open UNL file

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

Step 2. Create association of MapSource with UNL files

If, despite the installed application, the UNL file does not start in the MapSource 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. 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. Checking the "Always use the selected program ..." box will permanently associate the UNL file with the MapSource program.

Step 3. Update MapSource to the latest version

If, despite the association of the MapSource program with the Garmin Unlock Format 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 Garmin Ltd. website and install the latest version.

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

If the above steps do not help, you can assume that the file itself is not correct. File problems can be divided into the following:

Very often, the file may be size 0 or incomplete. This suggests truncating the UNL file contents when downloading or copying. The only repair option is to download the file again.
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 UNL or the program directory. As a result of the scan, sometimes it is not possible to recover UNL files, which are deleted if there is a backup of this file, then after restoring it, it must also be scanned.
This can happen especially when the program is dynamically developed and the structure of the UNL 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.
The file may be corrupted in a number of ways. The repair method must be adapted to the type of file and damage. Sometimes the program itself has options to repair the most popular UNL file corruption. The easiest way is to restore the file from a backup, if there is one, or contact Garmin
The program can also signal the fact of encryption. The encrypted file UNL 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. Copying the UNL file to another location will fix the problem.
This problem only occurs with more complex files. In this case, the UNL file is blocked by the first application to open it. Closing other programs should help. If the error persists after closing other programs, wait for a while. Some anti-virus or backup software may occupy the UNL file for a certain period of time. If nothing helps, please reset the device.