HDF5 File Extension

What is HDF5 file?

Full format name of files that use HDF5 extension is HDF5. HDF5 format was developed by The HDF Group. HDF5 files are supported by software applications available for devices running Windows. HDF5 file belongs to the Misc Files category just like 6033 other filename extensions listed in our database. HDFView is by far the most used program for working with HDF5 files. HDFView software was developed by The HDF Group, and on its official website you may find more information about HDF5 files or the HDFView software program.

Programs which support HDF5 file extension

The following listing features HDF5-compatible programs. HDF5 files can be encountered on all system platforms, including mobile, yet there is no guarantee each will properly support such files.

How to open file with HDF5 extension?

Problems with accessing HDF5 may be due to various reasons. What is important, all common issues related to files with HDF5 extension can be resolved by the users themselves. The process is quick and doesn’t involve an IT expert. We have prepared a listing of which will help you resolve your problems with HDF5 files.

Step 1. Get the HDFView

The most common reason for such problems is the lack of proper applications that supports HDF5 files installed on the system. To address this issue, go to the HDFView developer website, download the tool, and install it. It is that easy On the top of the page a list that contains all programs grouped based on operating systems supported can be found. If you want to download HDFView installer in the most secured manner, we suggest you visit The HDF Group website and download from their official repositories.

Step 2. Update HDFView to the latest version

If you already have HDFView installed on your systems and HDF5 files are still not opened properly, check if you have the latest version of the software. Software developers may implement support for more modern file formats in updated versions of their products. This can be one of the causes why HDF5 files are not compatible with HDFView. The most recent version of HDFView is backward compatible and can handle file formats supported by older versions of the software.

Step 3. Set the default application to open HDF5 files to HDFView

After installing HDFView (the most recent version) make sure that it is set as the default application to open HDF5 files. The method is quite simple and varies little across operating systems.

The procedure to change the default program in Windows

• Right-click the HDF5 file and choose Open with option
• Next, select the Choose another app option and then using More apps open the list of available applications
• The last step is to select Look for another app on this PC option supply the directory path to the folder where HDFView is installed. Now all that is left is to confirm your choice by selecting Always use this app to open HDF5 files and clicking OK.

The procedure to change the default program in Mac OS

• Right-click the HDF5 file and select Information
• Find the Open with option – click the title if its hidden
• Select HDFView and click Change for all...
• If you followed the previous steps a message should appear: This change will be applied to all files with HDF5 extension. Next, click the Continue button to finalize the process.

Step 4. Ensure that the HDF5 file is complete and free of errors

You closely followed the steps listed in points 1-3, but the problem is still present? You should check whether the file is a proper HDF5 file. Problems with opening the file may arise due to various reasons.

1. Verify that the HDF5 in question is not infected with a computer virus

If the HDF5 is indeed infected, it is possible that the malware is blocking it from opening. Scan the HDF5 file as well as your computer for malware or viruses. HDF5 file is infected with malware? Follow the steps suggested by your antivirus software.

2. Ensure the file with HDF5 extension is complete and error-free

Did you receive the HDF5 file in question from a different person? Ask him/her to send it one more time. During the copy process of the file errors may occurred rendering the file incomplete or corrupted. This could be the source of encountered problems with the file. If the HDF5 file has been downloaded from the internet only partially, try to redownload it.

3. Ensure that you have appropriate access rights

There is a possibility that the file in question can only be accessed by users with sufficient system privileges. Switch to an account that has required privileges and try opening the HDF5 file again.

4. Check whether your system can handle HDFView

If the systems has insufficient resources to open HDF5 files, try closing all currently running applications and try again.

5. Verify that your operating system and drivers are up to date

Up-to-date system and drivers not only makes your computer more secure, but also may solve problems with HDF5 file. It is possible that one of the available system or driver updates may solve the problems with HDF5 files affecting older versions of given software.

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