DDS file extension - DirectDraw surface data
What is dds file? How to open dds files?
The dds file extension is used for DirectDraw Surface format, a 3D texture format compressed with DirectX Texture Compression (DXTC1-5=S3TC).
The DirectDraw Surface graphics file format was established by Microsoft for use with the DirectX SDK. The format is specifically designed for use in real-time rendering applications, such as 3D games. It can be used to store textures, cubemaps, mipmap levels, and allows for compression. Due to the fact that most video cards natively support DXTn texture compression, use of this format can save memory on the video card.
This format is used in numerous current computer games.
The default software associated to open dds file:
Company or developer:
Microsoft Corporation
Microsoft DirectX is set of application interfaces for Microsoft Windows used by multimedia applications, games and videos. It contains DirectDraw, Direct3D, Direct2D, DirectSound, DirectMusic, DirectInput and other components. The DirectX standard is supported by a wide variety of consumer and workstation-class graphics software and hardware solutions.
Company or developer:
Rick Brewster
Paint.NET is free image and photo editing software for Windows platform. It features an intuitive and innovative user interface with support for layers, unlimited undo, special effects, and a wide variety of useful and powerful tools. An active and growing online community provides friendly help, tutorials, and plugins.
Company or developer:
The GIMP Team
GIMP is a free graphic and photo editor used to photo retouching, image composition and image authoring. GIMP is able to expand its features with plug-ins and extensions.
Company or developer:
The GIMP Team
GIMP is the GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is a freely distributed piece of software for such tasks as photo retouching, image composition and image authoring. It works on many operating systems, in many languages.
List of software applications associated to the .dds file extension
Recommended software programs are sorted by OS platform (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android etc.)
and possible program actions that can be done with the file: like open dds file, edit dds file, convert dds file, view dds file, play dds file etc. (if exist software for corresponding action in File-Extensions.org's database).
Hint:
Click on the tab below to simply browse between the application actions, to quickly get a list of recommended software, which is able to perform the specified software action, such as opening, editing or converting dds files.
Software that open dds file - DirectDraw surface data
Programs supporting the exension dds on the main platforms Windows, Mac, Linux or mobile. Click on the link to get more information about listed programs for open dds file action.
Microsoft Windows:
Main software associated with dds file by default: Paint.NET
GIMP
Other suggested software: Adobe Photoshop