Tips to open XCF file

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

XCF file extension

File Name GIMP Image Format
File Developer GIMP
File Category Raster Image Files

The XCF file is supported on 3 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the XCF files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the XCF file on each system platform.

Operating systems
  • 6
  • 2
  • 2
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is XCF file?

The file with the extension XCF is the Raster Image Files file type. The author of this format is GIMP. In addition to this file, the Raster Image Files category includes 522 related files. GIMP Image Format is most often found on 3 operating systems. The file will work on Linux, Mac OS, Windows systems, unfortunately not on others. The GIMP application is recommended to open the file. It was released by The GIMP Team. There are also 9 alternative programs to handle the XCF file. CorelDRAW, XnView, IrfanView, CinePaint will apply when it is not possible to use GIMP.

How to open XCF file?

An often recurring problem with GIMP Image Format is that XCF is not associated with the correct program file. Thus, when you open XCF, 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 XCF 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 GIMP

In this case, you should first verify that the GIMP application is installed on the computer. This can be achieved by typing GIMP into the operating system search engine. If it is not, installation may solve the problem, as most applications create file associations during installation. Below is a list of programs that support the file XCF.

Step 2. Create association of GIMP with XCF files

If the application is or has been freshly installed, but the XCF file still does not use the GIMP 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 set the program to handle this type. 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 XCF file with the GIMP application.

Step 3. Update GIMP to the latest version

The fault may also lie with the GIMP program, it is possible that GIMP Image Format requires a newer version of the program. In this case, use the The GIMP Team website or update the program from the application.

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

Of course, it may happen that despite the above steps, the file still does not work. The most common file problems are:

The affected file may be 0 KB or smaller than expected. Usually this applies to XCF files downloaded from the Internet in case the download did not finish properly. The only repair option is to download the file again.
The computer may have fallen victim to a computer virus or hacker. A quick virus scan using an up-to-date antivirus program should clear up any doubts. If this is not possible, you can use the online scanner. For the best results, we will scan the entire operating system, not just our XCF file. Sometimes virus-infected XCF files cannot be recovered, so make a backup in advance.
A typical compatibility error - the program does not support the older version of the XCF file. These problems are known and are often very easy to fix using the software developers's website.
There can be many reasons for this. The repair method must be adapted to the type of file and damage. Some programs offer the ability to automatically repair XCF file corruption. The easiest way is to restore the file from a backup, if there is one, or contact GIMP
The program can also signal the fact of encryption. The encrypted XCF files cannot be played on other computers than the one on which they were encrypted, they must be decrypted before using on another device.
Some of the system directories are excluded from modification. These directories are write-protected to them and it's very hard to fix this problem. If possible, you can try to move the XCF file to another location.
This can happen on a file that does not support multiple access. Some file types can only be opened in one program at a time. Closing other programs should help. Sometimes you have to wait for the session to the file XCF to close. However, some background programs may block the XCF file while scanning. If the problem persists, restart the machine.