LanguageSWF
ShockWave Flash, Animated vector format for the Internet
File type: Vector graphic file, Digital video and movie file, Dangerous and malicious file, Internet related file
Files with sw extension can be commonly found as Shockwave Flash movies in animated vector format, used mainly on Internet web sites.
Found 2 different file type records with the same swf filename suffix.
What is swf file?
File type category:
Vector graphic file
Digital video and movie file
Dangerous and malicious file
Internet related file
Date updated: January 8, 2025
File extension swf is associated with Adobe (formerly Macromedia) Flash movie file. ShockWave Flash, Animated Vector Format for Internet.
See also: fla file extensions
The Macromedia Flash (swf) (pronounced 'swiff' ) file format was designed to deliver vector graphics and animation over the Internet. The Macromedia Flash File Format (swf) was designed as a very efficient delivery format and not as a format for exchanging graphics between graphics editors. It was designed to meet the following goals:
- On-screen Display—The format is primarily intended for on-screen display and so it supports anti-aliasing, fast rendering to a bitmap of any color format, animation and interactive buttons.
- Extensibility—The format is a tagged format, so the format can be evolved with new features while maintaining backward compatibility with older players.
- Network Delivery—The files can be delivered over a network with limited and unpredictable bandwidth. The files are compressed to be small and support incremental rendering through streaming. SWF is a binary format and is not human readable like HTML. Macromedia Flash (SWF) uses techniques such as bit-packing and structures with optional fields, to minimize file size.
- Simplicity—The format is simple so that the player is small and easily ported. Also, the player depends upon only a very limited set of operating system functionality.
- File Independence—Files can be displayed without any dependence on external resources such as fonts.
- Scalability—Different computers have different monitor resolutions and bit depths. Files work well on limited hardware, while taking advantage of more expensive hardware when it is available.
- Speed—The files are designed to be rendered at a high quality very quickly.
This platform is also often used in various web-based video games, such as Farville, Castleville, Settlers Online and other.
MIME types:
application/x-shockwave-flash
application/x-shockwave-flash2-preview
application/futuresplash, image/vnd.rn-realflas
How to open swf file?
You can not simply open *.swf files and edit them. Use software like Flash Decompiler or similar applications to extract contents of the file. Original editable source has FLA file extension.
How to convert swf file?
You can not simply convert or recover all information from this file type. Use software like Flash Decompiler to extract file contents or convert file into .fla Flash animation.
Suggested software to open swf file:
Associated software actions with the swf file
Software applications that can open swf files:
Adobe Animate CC (Microsoft Windows)
Adobe Flash (Microsoft Windows)
Revelation Natural Art (Microsoft Windows)
SWFTools (Microsoft Windows)
SWF and FLV Toolbox (Microsoft Windows)
Adobe Animate CC for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Adobe Flash for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Software applications that can edit swf files:
Adobe Animate CC (Microsoft Windows)
Adobe Flash (Microsoft Windows)
Flasm (Microsoft Windows)
Revelation Natural Art (Microsoft Windows)
SWFTools (Microsoft Windows)
Adobe Animate CC for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Adobe Flash for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Software capable of saving swf files:
Adobe Animate CC (Microsoft Windows)
Adobe Flash (Microsoft Windows)
Flasm (Microsoft Windows)
Revelation Natural Art (Microsoft Windows)
SWFTools (Microsoft Windows)
Adobe Animate CC for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Adobe Flash for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Apps designed for playing swf files:
Winamp (Microsoft Windows)
Elmedia Player (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Adobe Flash Player (Multiplatform)
Software apps that create swf files:
Adobe Animate CC (Microsoft Windows)
Adobe Flash (Microsoft Windows)
Flasm (Microsoft Windows)
Revelation Natural Art (Microsoft Windows)
SWFTools (Microsoft Windows)
Adobe Animate CC for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Adobe Flash for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Software apps that convert swf files:
SUPER (Microsoft Windows)
Ultimate DVD Converter (Microsoft Windows)
FormatFactory (Microsoft Windows)
Icecream Media Converter (Microsoft Windows)
VIP Video Converter (Microsoft Windows)
Adapter (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Free Flash to HTML5 Online Converter (On-line services)
Software apps that import swf files:
Andaired Suite (Microsoft Windows)
ViewletBuilder (Microsoft Windows)
Articulate Presenter (Microsoft Windows)
AVS Audio Converter (Microsoft Windows)
TexturePacker (Microsoft Windows)
Free Flash to HTML5 Converter (Microsoft Windows)
SWF and FLV Toolbox (Microsoft Windows)
Adobe Acrobat for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
FlashCode (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Movavi Video Editor (Multiplatform)
Google Swiftly (On-line services)
Software apps that export swf files:
Video to Flash Converter (Microsoft Windows)
WinX Video Converter (Microsoft Windows)
EXE to SWF Extractor (Microsoft Windows)
FlashDevelop (Microsoft Windows)
print2flash (Microsoft Windows)
SWFTools (Microsoft Windows)
SWF and FLV Toolbox (Microsoft Windows)
Elmedia Player (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Pavtube HD Video Converter for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Movavi Video Editor (Multiplatform)
Software apps that extract swf files:
Flasm (Microsoft Windows)
SWFTools (Microsoft Windows)
Software applications that handle other tasks involving swf files:
Adobe Creative Suite (Microsoft Windows)
SWFTools (Microsoft Windows)
Adobe Creative Suite for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Adobe Creative Cloud (Multiplatform)
Microsoft Sidewinder profile activator data
File type category:
Settings, options, themes or skins file
Date updated: December 30, 2024
The SWF file extension is also used by software and drivers for Microsoft Sidewinder force feedback joysticks
The swf file contains profile activator settings. Sidewinder joysticks are obsolete products.
SWF files are mainly used for Flash videos.
Suggested software to open swf file:
Associated software actions with the swf file
Software apps that manage settings for swf files:
Microsoft Windows (Microsoft Windows)