Tips to open VCF file
Can't open the VCF file? You are not the only one. Thousands of users face similar problems every day. Below you will find tips on how to open VCF files as well as a list of programs that support VCF files.
VCF file extension
The VCF file is supported on 2 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the VCF files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the VCF file on each system platform.
What is VCF file?
The .VCF file is a business card file. The file contains contact details of the person or persons. The standard defines the main text fields such as: name, surname, telephone number and address. However, there is no problem to add your own values as well as other types of data, e.g. contact photo. Files of this type are created as a result of exporting a contact with completed data. They can then be imported in another program. This format is used by e-mail programs, telephone contact books, and some instant messaging programs.
How to open VCF file?
The main problem with VCard Format is that the VCF file is incorrectly associated with programs. This causes the file VCF to open by system applications not designed for this purpose, or to display a message that there is no associated program. This can be quickly resolved by following the instructions below.
The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the VCF 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 Address Book
The first step is to check if the computer has the Apple Address Book program installed. The easiest method is to use the system search engine by entering the program name Apple Address Book in it. If it is not, installation may solve the problem, as most applications create file associations during installation. Below you will find a list of applications that support VCF files.
Programs to open VCF file
Remember to download programs supporting VCF files only from verified and safe sources. We suggest using the websites of software developers.
Step 2. Create association of Apple Address Book with VCF files
If the application is or has been freshly installed, but the VCF file still does not use the Apple Address Book program, it means no association. This option is available from the level of Properties of a specific file available in the context menu. The displayed window will contain information about the program that supports this type of file. Changes can be made using the "Change" button. The program should be visible in the window, otherwise it should be selected manually using the "Browse" button and the program installation directory should be indicated. The "always use the selected program ..." field will set the Apple Address Book application as the default for handling the VCF file.
Step 3. Update Apple Address Book to the latest version
If, despite the association of the Apple Address Book program with the VCard Format file, the file still does not open, check the program version and possibly update it to the newest version.
Step 4. Check for the following problems with the VCF file
Of course, it may happen that despite the above steps, the file still does not work. File problems can be divided into the following:
Very often, the file may be size 0 or incomplete. This is most often caused by a problem while downloading the VCF file. The only repair option is to download the file again.
The most common cause here is computer viruses. Perform a virus scan using available and up-to-date anti-virus software. Alternatively, you can use the scanners available online. The scan should cover the entire computer, not only the VCF file that we want to open. As a result of the scan, sometimes it is not possible to recover VCF files, which are deleted if there is a backup of this file, then after restoring it, it must also be scanned.
Older version of VCF 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. Sometimes the program itself has options to repair the most popular VCF file corruption.
The program indicates that the file is encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted VCF 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.
The operating system protects files in some locations (e.g. the root of the system partition) against unauthorized access. The problem is only writing to the file, not reading it. It is best to move VCF to a different directory.
This problem usually affects 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 it is necessary to wait a while before referencing the VCF file again. Some anti-virus or backup software may occupy the VCF file for a certain period of time. If this does not work either, restart the device.
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