Microsoft Windows 8 Release Preview user tile file
File type: Settings, options, themes or skins file
A .usertile-ms file is a Microsoft Windows 8 user tile file. It stores the picture assigned to a user's account.
The file belongs to the Windows 8 account-picture system, including the Release Preview and Developer Preview variants.
File type category:
Settings, options, themes or skins file
Date updated: September 28, 2026
The .usertile-ms file extension is associated with Microsoft Windows 8, including its Release Preview and Developer Preview variants. A .usertile-ms file stores the image or photo used as a user's account picture, also called a user tile.
Windows creates and uses this file as part of its account settings. It is a system file rather than a general-purpose image document, and its contents are intended to be managed by Windows.
Windows 8 normally opens and manages .usertile-ms files automatically when it displays the associated user account picture. The file is not intended to be opened directly as a normal image document.
To view or change the picture, use the user account or PC settings in Windows 8 rather than opening the file manually.
A .usertile-ms file cannot generally be converted meaningfully with standard image-conversion software because it is a Windows account-picture file, not a normal image format.
To use the picture elsewhere, use the original image selected for the account picture, if available. To create a different Windows account picture, select an image in Windows 8 account settings instead of converting the .usertile-ms file.
Software apps that manage or store settings in usertile-ms files:
Microsoft Windows
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