What Is an SWF File? (And How to Open or Play One) GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Software & Apps > File Types 92 92 people found this article helpful
What Is an SWF File?
Learn the basics of Shockwave Flash files
By Tim Fisher Tim Fisher Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability Emporia State University Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the VP and General Manager of Lifewire. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on May 21, 2021 Reviewed by Kayla Dube Reviewed by Kayla Dube J. Everette Light Career Center Kayla Dube has 4+ years' experience in videography and filmmaking. She frequently works in production with indie film companies. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email File Types File Types Apps Windows MS Office Linux Google Drive Backup & Utilities Design Cryptocurrency What to Know
An SWF file is a Shockwave Flash Movie file. Open one with Flash Player projector content debugger. Flash Player is no longer supported, so use at your own risk. This article explains what SWF files are and how to open the different kinds that you might have. What Is an SWF File
An .SWF file (pronounced as "Swiff") is a Shockwave Flash Movie file created by an Adobe program that can hold interactive text and graphics. These animation files have a history of being used for online games played within a web browser. Adobe has officially discontinued Flash, meaning it's no longer being developed or supported. Other web technologies, such as HTML5 video support and CSS3 animations, have largely replaced SWF. Although they're likely not used anywhere anymore since Flash is no longer supported, an SWF file could be an interactive game or a non-interactive advertisement or tutorial. SWF is short for Small Web Format but is also sometimes called a Shockwave Flash file. How to Play SWF Files
While you can still find SWF files online, and download lots of games in this format, you'd be hard-pressed to dig up a program that will let you play the game or view the file. The only one we found is from Adobe itself and available from their support center. Download Adobe Flash projector content debugger, and use the File > Open menu to select the SWF file. Before Adobe ended Flash support, you used to be able to play these files directly in your web browser and with other programs like SWF File Player. Now, however, the "normal" edition of Flash Player is no longer available, which third-party programs require before you can open it. Some other software that used to support this format include SWF File Player, GOM Player, and, of course, Adobe's own products including Animate, Dreamweaver, Flash Builder, and After Effects. How to Convert an SWF File
Some free video file converters used to support saving an SWF file to video formats like MP4, MOV, HTML5, and AVI, and some could even let you convert to MP3 and other audio file formats. However, just like with the SWF openers, most converter tools no longer have access to Flash, so they can't convert the file. That said, you might have luck using Xilisoft SWF Converter. Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make an SWF file? Since Adobe ended Flash support, you'll need to download a third-party app like Sothink SWF Quicker to create an SWF file. Research any apps before downloading, as some third-party programs can present security risks, such as leaking your personal data or infecting your device with malicious malware. How do you download an SWF file? If the URL ends in ".swf," you can enter the address into your web browser, and when it loads, select Save web page as and choose the location where you want to save the SWF file. For an embedded SWF file, right-click the page containing the file and select View page source. Press Ctrl+F and type .swf to find the URL of the file, then copy it and paste it in the browser to download the file. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Open and Convert ARF Files FLV File (What It Is and How to Open One) WMA File (What It Is and How to Open One) SVG Files: What They Are and How to Open & Convert Them AC3 File (What It Is & How to Open One) FBR File (What It Is and How to Open One) What Is a PDF File? (And How to Open One) What's an MHT File and How Do You Open One? DIRECTORY File (What It Is & How to Open One) AVI File (What It Is and How to Open One) What Was Flash & What Happened to It? APPLICATION File (What It Is and How to Open One) CFM File (What It Is & How to Open One) IGS File (What It Is and How to Open One) CSV File (What It Is & How to Open One) OGG File (What It Is and How to Open One) Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies