Apple iChat file transfer file
File type: Miscellaneous file
An .ichattransfer file is associated with the file-transfer functions of Apple iChat.
File type category:
Miscellaneous file
Date updated: September 24, 2026
Apple iChat used the ICHATTRANSFER file extension for files associated with transfers between chat participants. The file was managed by iChat on Mac OS X and macOS.
This is a legacy format. Apple discontinued iChat and replaced it with Messages, so current versions of macOS do not normally create or open ICHATTRANSFER files.
Open an ICHATTRANSFER file with Apple iChat on a compatible older version of Mac OS X or macOS. iChat handled these files as part of its file-transfer system, and they were not generally intended to be opened as ordinary documents.
If iChat is unavailable, there may be no modern application that can interpret the file directly. The sender or recipient may need to provide the transferred file again in its original format.
ICHATTRANSFER files are associated with Apple iChat's file-transfer system rather than a general document format, so ordinary document or media converters may not handle them.
When possible, recover the original transferred file through iChat or request it again from the sender, then use the application appropriate for that original file.
Software applications that handle other tasks involving ichattransfer files:
Apple macOS / Mac OS X
Language
