How to view a .EMF file online
From an unreadable file to a sharp preview in seconds.
Open your .EMF
Drag a .EMF file onto the box, or choose it from your device.
View the artwork
Your .EMF file is rendered to a sharp preview, whatever it was created with.
Zoom, inspect, export
Choose the resolution, zoom into details, check the bounding box and creator, then save as PNG or PDF.
What is a .EMF file?
An EMF file is a Windows vector graphic in Microsoft's Enhanced Metafile format. It stores drawing commands rather than pixels. On Windows, open it in IrfanView (free) or insert it into Word or PowerPoint. To use it on Mac or Linux, or to convert it to PNG or SVG, use LibreOffice Draw or Inkscape, both free. You most often encounter it as a file named image001.emf inside an email or Office document.
Programs that open .EMF files
| Full name | Enhanced Metafile (Windows vector graphic) |
|---|---|
| Developer | Microsoft |
| First released | 1993 (Windows NT 3.1); format documented publicly as MS-EMF |
| Category | Vector |
| MIME type | image/emf (also seen as image/x-emf) |
| Signature | 01 00 00 00 ("\\x01\\x00\\x00\\x00" - EMR_HEADER record type 1 (little-endian DWORD) at offset 0) |
Related viewers
Other free viewers that work the same way.
Can I open an .AI file without Illustrator?
Yes. Illustrator files saved with "Create PDF Compatible File" (the default since CS) contain a full PDF, which we render with pdf.js. Older PostScript-based AI files are rendered with Ghostscript. Layers and editable paths aren't shown; you get an accurate picture of the artwork.
Why does my EMF or WMF look slightly different?
Windows metafiles are drawn by our own renderer, which handles shapes, lines, fills, text and bitmaps, but not every rarely used GDI feature (clipping regions, raster operations, EMF+ effects). The file details list anything that was skipped.
Is my .EMF file uploaded anywhere?
No. Everything runs as WebAssembly and JavaScript. The first EPS or PS file downloads its renderer (about 16 MB) once; after that it's cached.
Can I convert EPS to PNG or PDF?
Yes. Pick a resolution (up to 600 dpi) and press PNG, or press PDF to get a vector PDF made by Ghostscript.
Does it play Flash (.SWF) files?
Yes, with Ruffle, an open-source Flash emulator. Most animations and many games work; complex ActionScript 3 content may not.
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