DDS file extension- What is and how to open?

DDS files are image files that contain the raster images in the DDS format. DDS stands for the DirectDraw Surface format and the file consists of the compressed and uncompressed images.

These files are used to texture the video game models. Other than this, you may also find Windows background and wallpapers stored in the file.

These files are developed by Windows and used widely by them only. Microsoft introduced the files to store environment and textures. Later on, different versions of the extensions were introduced providing much more features and enhancing their functionality.

You may also find DDS file extensions on your system and if you do not know how you can open it, here is what you can do. Here are all the applications that you can use to open the DDS file on your system. Read the article till the end to know more about DDS file.

Programs that can open DDS files

Windows Texture Viewer

The first application that we are going to talk about is Windows Texture Viewer. The software is free to use and you can download it on your system. You can open the file on your system. Other than this, these files are used to manipulate a DDS image file. There are different Texture manipulation tools that you can use to open and edit the DDS file. Files like DDS Thumbnail Viewer can allow you to open and edit DDS files in the Thumbnail format in Windows Explorer. You can then download the DDS thumbnail Viewer from the internet and then use it.

File Viewer Plus

The other application on our list is File Viewer Plus. You can use the application to view different documents and the software is free to use. If you like the software, you can upgrade the software to the premium version. You may not get all the features in the trial version or free version like you can only view 200 types of files in the free version but you can open up to 400 types of files in the premium version. Also, you can only view files in the free version but you can convert and save the files in the upgraded version. You can download the application from the official website and then install it on your system. You can then use the application to view and open the DDS file on your system.

Also, this application is present on Android. The features provided by the Android version of the software are almost as same as that of the Desktop-based application. You can then install the application on your system and use it for free. You can not use the application on Mac or iOS.

XnViewMP

Our next application that you can use to open DDS file on your system is XnView MP. The software is free to use and it supports almost 500 formats of images and files. Also, you can export up to 70 image formats. You can download the application on your system from the official website and then you will have to download it according to the operating system that you are using. After that, you will have to install it on your system by following all the instructions appearing on your screen. You can also use the tool as a file exploring and browsing tool. If you are someone who likes to work with images, it can be one of the tools that you can use to edit your images.

dotPDN paint.net

The next application on our list is dotPDN paint.net. This is the software that you can use to edit and view your digital pictures. The application is free to download. You can search on the internet and from the official website; you can download the application on your system. You will have to then install it on your system by following all the instructions appearing on your screen. Once done, you can then click on the name of the file choose to open it with the dotPDN paint.net. This tool was designed so that it can replace Microsoft paint, but now it is used as another open-source image editor.

GIMP with DDS plugin

GIMP is another image editing tool that you can download on your system and use it with DDS plugin to open DDS file on your system. The interface of the application is almost as same as that of the Adobe photoshop but you have to pay for using the Adobe Photoshop. Other than the DDs plugin, there are over 100 more plugins that you can download to enhance the functionality of the application. The editing in this application is also layer-based and also this application has a lot of tools like Airbrush, Clone, pencil, brush, and more. The application can also work as a converter and you can convert the file on some other format if you wish.

IrfanView

The next application on our list is IrfanView. You can use the application to view and edit images on your Windows operating system. Other than images, you can use the application for editing different audio and video also. There are also many plugins available that you can use to open different file extensions in the application. Also, the application provides you with the capability to create a slideshow. The plugins can extend the functionality of the software. One of the best things about the software is that the software is light-weight and it does not require much space on the system. We will advise you to use the software if you want to work with an obscure image format.

Other than the applications that we have mentioned, you may also find other applications that you can use to open the DDS file on your system. We have tried to provide you with all the applications that you can use to open the DDS file. Hopefully, the article was informative and helpful to you. We have tried to provide you with accurate and useful information. Hope the article helps you in one way or the other.