Did you find an AE file on your computer and wonder what program should open it? Maybe someone emailed you an AE file but you're not sure how to use it. Perhaps you tried to open the AE file but Windows told you that it could not open it.
Before you can open an AE file (assuming it's even a file format that's intended to be viewed or edited), you'll need to determine what kind of file the AE file extension refers to.
Other types of files may also use the AE file extension. If you know of any additional file formats that use the AE extension, please let me know so I can update this information.
How to Open an AE File:
The easiest way to open an AE file is to double-click on it and let your PC decide which default application should open the file. If no program opens the AE file then you probably don't have an application installed that can view and/or edit AE files.
Warning: Take great care when opening executable file formats received via email or downloaded from websites you're not familiar with. See my List of Executable File Extensions for a listing of file extensions to avoid and why.
As of this writing, I don't have information on any specific applications that will view AE files or open AE files for editing. If you know of any, please send me a quick email and let me know the name of the program so I can update this page.
Tip: Use Notepad or another text editor to open the AE file. Many files are text-only files meaning no matter the file extension, a text editor may be able to properly display the file's contents. This may or may not be the case with AE files but it's worth a try.
If you find that an application on your PC does try to open the AE file but it's the wrong application or if you would rather have another installed program open AE files, see my How to Change the Default Program for a Specific File Extension guide for making that change in Windows.
How to Convert an AE File:
There are two main ways to attempt to convert an AE file to another file type:
- Open the AE file in its default program and choose to save the open file as another file format.
- Use a File Conversion Online Service or Software Program to convert the AE file to another file format.
The first option involving opening the AE file in its native program is preferable because it's both easier and will probably result in a more accurate file conversion. Of course if you don't have a program that opens AE files, a third-party file conversion tool (the second option) could be very useful.
Important: You cannot usually change a file extension (like the AE file extension) to one that your computer recognizes and expect the newly renamed file to be usable. An actual file format conversion using one of the methods described above must take place in most cases.
Still Having Problems Opening or Using an AE File?
Let a community of computer support enthusiasts help out! Post in the PC Support Forum about what kinds of problems you're having with opening or using the AE file and we'll see what we can do to help.
