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Dolby Digital sound
File type: Audio and sound file
An ac3 file extension is associated with the Dolby Digital sound file format also known as AC3 (Audio Coding 3).
Found 2 different file type records with the same ac3 filename suffix.
File type category:
Audio and sound file
Date updated: July 13, 2025
The ac3 file extension is used for for Dolby Digital sound files.
Launched in 1987, the Dolby Digital format is a digital audio encoding standard developed by Dolby Labs.
Unlike Dolby ProLogic systems, Dolby Digital audio tracks are independent (the term "discrete" is also sometimes used). For consumer electronics, the Dolby Digital format relies on a compression algorithm called AC3 (Audio Coding 3), which can compress audio streams by a factor of 10 to 12 with a 16-bit sampling rate of 48 kHz, for an overall bitrate of 384 kbps. For this reason, the Dolby Digital format is sometimes called Dolby AC3. For professionals, instead of an AC3 decoder, Dolby Digital uses a system called SR-D.
Dolby Digital is likely the most commonly used system in home theater systems. To be able to use media recorded in Dolby Digital format (DVD video or DVD audio, for example), you need a device with an integrated AC3 decoder.
Most modern media players like VLC are able to play the *.ac3 files.
Use one of the listed converters to convert the *.ac3 files to another file format.
Software applications that can open ac3 files:
Software applications that can edit ac3 files:
Microsoft Windows
Software capable of saving ac3 files:
Microsoft Windows
Apps designed for playing ac3 files:
Microsoft Windows
Apple macOS / Mac OS X
Linux/Unix
Google Android
Software apps that convert ac3 files:
Microsoft Windows
Apple macOS / Mac OS X
Linux/Unix
Software apps that import ac3 files:
Microsoft Windows
Apple macOS / Mac OS X
Software apps that export ac3 files:
Microsoft Windows
Apple macOS / Mac OS X
File type category:
Various data file
Date updated: August 9, 2017
The ac3 file extension is associated with SPICE (Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis) program, developed by National Instruments Corporation. The ac3 extension files are used for AC/frequence domain output.
It is not possible to open files with ac1 extension.
It is not possible to convert files with ac1 extension.
Software applications that handle other tasks involving ac3 files:
Microsoft Windows
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