LanguageWAD
Doom WAD archive
File type: Game file
Files with wad extension are usually encountered in video games based on Id Tech 1 game engine (also known as Doom engine). A wad file is data container used to store game maps, sounds, models, sprites, music and other data.
Found 4 different file type records with the same wad filename suffix.
What is wad file?
File type category:
Game file
Date updated: November 28, 2023
File extension wad is used by Doom I, II, Ultimate Doom, Final Doom and other games, which use Doom engine, also known as id Tech 1 (Hexen, Heretic).
The wad files are game archives that contain game data such as maps, graphics, sprites, sounds, music etc. WAD is the abbreviation of War Allocation Daemon or Where's All the Data?.
Doom engine uses two types of WAD archives IWAD and PWAD.
IWAD (Internal WAD) contains original game data (doom.wad, doom2.wad, etc.).
PWAD (Patch WAD) contains lumps of data created by a user as an add-on.
How to open wad file?
Use Doom Builder to open and edit Doom *.wad game files.
How to convert wad file?
These games files cannot be converted to anything else. However, sometimes modding.
Suggested software to open wad file:
Associated software actions with the wad file
Software applications that can open wad files:
Doom Builder (Microsoft Windows)
XWE (Microsoft Windows)
Software applications that can edit wad files:
Doom Builder (Microsoft Windows)
XWE (Microsoft Windows)
Software capable of saving wad files:
Doom Builder (Microsoft Windows)
XWE (Microsoft Windows)
Software apps that create wad files:
Doom Builder (Microsoft Windows)
XWE (Microsoft Windows)
Software applications that handle other tasks involving wad files:
Doom (Microsoft MS-DOS)
Doom II (Microsoft MS-DOS)
Heretic (Microsoft MS-DOS)
HeXen (Microsoft MS-DOS)
Quake engine texture file
File type category:
Archive and compressed file
Game file
Date updated: June 23, 2025
The wad file extension is also used related to Quake and other computer games based on id Tech 1 (not the same as id Tech 1 Doom engine) game engine. The *.wad file contains textures used by Quake engine (WAD - Wally Game Texture Archive) and it is located in the .pak Quake game archive.
It is different format than the original Doom WAD format.
How to open wad file?
Use Dragon UnPACKer to open the wad extension files.
Suggested software to open wad file:
Associated software actions with the wad file
Software applications that can open wad files:
Dragon UnPACKer (Microsoft Windows)
Programs for viewing wad files:
XnView MP (Multiplatform)
Software apps that extract wad files:
Dragon UnPACKer (Microsoft Windows)
Software applications that handle other tasks involving wad files:
Half-Life (Microsoft Windows)
Quake 2 (Microsoft Windows)
Heretic 2 (Microsoft Windows)
HeXen 2 (Microsoft Windows)
Gunman Chronicles (Microsoft Windows)
Quake (Microsoft MS-DOS)
Theme Park World game archive
File type category:
Archive and compressed file
Game file
Date updated: July 11, 2024
The wad file extension is also used by Theme Park World, a strategic computer game created by Bullfrog (acquired by Electronic Arts) for PC platform.
The wad file contains game data (models, textures, sounds, music..).
It is not the same file format as Doom WAD game archive.
How to open wad file?
Use Dragon UnPACKer to open *.wad file.
How to convert wad file?
These games files cannot be converted to anything else. However, sometimes modding.
Suggested software to open wad file:
Associated software actions with the wad file
Software apps that extract wad files:
Dragon UnPACKer (Microsoft Windows)
Software applications that handle other tasks involving wad files:
Theme Park World (Microsoft Windows)
WAD Manager Wii channel archive
File type category:
Archive and compressed file
Date updated: September 19, 2018
The wad file extension is also recently used by the Nintendo Wii gaming console.
The wad file is data container that includes files to install Wii Channels, Virtual Console games, WiiWare games etc.
How to open wad file?
Use WAD Manager to install the *.wad files.
How to convert wad file?
Probably cannot be converted to other formats.
Suggested software to open wad file:
Associated software actions with the wad file
Software applications that handle other tasks involving wad files:
WAD Manager (Microsoft Windows)