What Is an EFI File?

This article explains what an EFI file is used for and how to open one if you need to.

What Is an EFI File?

A file with the EFI file extension is an Extensible Firmware Interface file. They are boot loader executables, exist on UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) based computer systems, and contain data on how the boot process should proceed.

EFI files can be opened with EFI Developer Kit, but frankly, unless you're a hardware developer, there's little use in "opening" one.

Where Is the EFI File in Windows?

On a system with an installed operating system, the boot manager that exists as part of the motherboard UEFI firmware will have an EFI file location stored in the BootOrder variable. This might actually be another boot manager if you have an installed multi-boot tool, but is usually just the EFI boot loader for your operating system.

Most of the time, this file is stored on a special EFI system partition. This partition is typically hidden and doesn't have a drive letter.

On a UEFI system with Windows 10 installed, for example, the EFI file will be located at one of the following locations, on that hidden partition:

\EFI\boot\bootx64.efi
\EFI\boot\bootia32.efi

On some Windows computers, the winload.efi file acts as the boot loader and is usually stored within the System32 folder:

C:\Windows\System32\Boot\winload.efi

On a system without an installed operating system, with a blank BootOrder variable, the motherboard's boot manager looks in predefined places for an EFI file, like on discs in optical drives and on other connected media. This occurs because, if that field is empty, you don't have a working OS installed and so you're likely going to install one next.

For example, on a Windows 10 installation DVD or ISO image, the following two files exist, which your computer's UEFI boot manager will quickly locate:

D:\efi\boot\bootx64.efi
D:\efi\boot\bootia32.efi

Where Is the File in Other Operating Systems?

Here are some of the default EFI file locations for some non-Windows operating systems:

macOS uses this file as its boot loader, but not in all situations:

\System\Library\CoreServices\boot.efi

The EFI boot loader for Linux will differ depending on the distribution you have installed, but here are a few:

\EFI\SuSE\elilo.efi
\EFI\RedHat\elilo.efi
\EFI\ubuntu\elilo.efi

You get the idea.

Still Can't Open or Use the File?

Take note that there are some file types that are spelled very much like ".EFI" that you might actually have and can, therefore, open with a regular software program. This is most likely the case if you've simply misread the file extension.

For example, you might really have an eFax fax document if it ends in .EFX, but that has nothing to do with EFI files. Or maybe your file uses the .EFL file extension and is an Encryptafile file.

If you're sure that you can open the file you have, then it's most likely not in the same format that's described on this page. Instead, double-check the file extension for your file and research the program that can open it or convert it to a new format.

You might even try uploading it to a conversion service like Zamzar to see if it will recognize the file type and suggest a conversion format.

EFIRES is a similar-looking file extension that's related to the EFI format, but it doesn't work the same way. It's instead a system file used in macOS.