Files with dds extension can be usually encontered as 3D textures from DirectDraw Surface format.

There is one other file type using
the DDS file extension!

empty icon.dds - XMap XData dataset

Detailed description

Software that open dds file

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DDS file extension - DirectDraw surface data

What is dds file? How to open dds files?

File type specification:

Bitmap image file type icon Bitmap image file type

Game file type icon Game file type

dds file icon: dds filetype icon

File extension dds 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.

Updated: November 30, 2023

The default software associated to open dds file:

DirectX icon

Microsoft Corporation logoDirectX  Microsoft Windows software

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.

Paint.NET icon

Paint.NET  Microsoft Windows software

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.

GIMP icon

The GIMP Team logoGIMP  Microsoft Windows software

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.

GIMP for Linux icon

The GIMP Team logoGIMP for Linux  Linux/Unix software

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.

Help how to open:

Many graphics editors can open and work with DirectDraw textures.

How to convert:

Textures can be generally exported as bitmap images.

Find conversions from dds file:

dds to bmp

dds to iff

dds to jpeg

dds to jpg

dds to png

dds to psd

dds to tga

Find converter to dds file type:

bmp to dds

gif to dds

jpeg to dds

jpg to dds

obj to dds

png to dds

tga to dds

File identification strings:

HEX code: 44 44 53 20 7C 00 00 00 07 10
ASCII code: DDS |

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 small icon Paint.NET
GIMP small icon GIMP
Other suggested software:
Adobe Photoshop small icon Adobe Photoshop

Apple macOS / Mac OS X:

Linux/Unix:

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