How to view a .XAR file online
From an unreadable file to a sharp preview in seconds.
Open your .XAR
Drag a .XAR file onto the box, or choose it from your device.
View the artwork
Your .XAR 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 .XAR file?
An XAR file is the native vector graphics format of Xara Photo & Graphic Designer and Xara Designer Pro (Windows). Open it with Xara Designer (paid, free trial available) or import it into Inkscape for a free alternative. The .xar extension is also used by macOS package archives and, rarely, by Excel AutoRecover backups, unrelated formats that share the same extension.
Programs that open .XAR files
| Full name | Xara Designer Vector Graphics File |
|---|---|
| Developer | Xara Group Limited (originally XARA Ltd; previously marketed by Corel as CorelXARA) |
| First released | 1994 (original CorelXARA / Xara X); Flare open format 1997; renamed XAR 2004 |
| Category | Vector |
| MIME type | image/x-xar |
| Signature | 58 41 52 41 A3 A3 0D 0A (XARA\xa3\xa3\r\n) |
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 .XAR 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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