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View a EDF file online, free

Open and read .EDF files online. View source, logs and text with syntax highlighting, search and line numbers, free.

Drop your .EDF file here

Opens your .EDF file right here.

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Up to 50 MB · 160+ text and code extensions
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100% free. No limits on use

What you get for a .EDF file

We don't have a dedicated viewer for this format, so we identify and inspect it instead — honestly, only what can be read from the file.

01

Drop your .EDF file

Choose it or drag it in. It's read right here in your browser.

02

We identify it

We read the magic bytes to tell what the file really is, its MIME type, and whether the name matches the contents.

03

See the details

Any metadata we can extract (dimensions, EXIF/GPS, document author and dates), a hex view, plus readable text and strings found inside.

What is a .EDF file?

Plain text that programs, servers and people write every day.

An EDF file is an ESRF Data File, which is a data format developed by the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. These files contain scientific data typically generated during synchrotron experiments. They can be accessed and viewed using specialized software such as the SAXS Program Package or EDFExplorer.

Programs that open .EDF files

Windows
EDFExplorer, EDFbrowser, Polyman / EDF viewer (edfplus.info)
macOS
EDFbrowser, MNE-Python (Anaconda)
Linux
EDFbrowser, MNE-Python
Web
Online EDF Viewer
.EDF format details
Full nameEuropean Data Format (biosignal recording)
DeveloperBob Kemp et al. (published 1992); EDF+ extension 2003
First released1992 (EDF); EDF+ in 2003
CategoryText & Code
MIME typeapplication/octet-stream
Signature30 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 "0 " - the 8-byte version field is "0" left-justified and space-padded

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Every viewer is free to use.

Frequently asked questions

Is my .EDF file uploaded anywhere?

No. The file is read and highlighted for you.

Why do some characters look wrong (é, ł)?

That usually means the file was saved in one encoding and opened in another. We detect UTF-8, UTF-16 and the Windows-1250/1252 code pages automatically and show which one was used.

Can it handle huge log files?

Yes, up to 50 MB. Only the lines on screen are drawn, so scrolling stays smooth. Syntax colours are switched off for files over 1.5 MB to keep things fast.

How do the log level filters work?

We find levels like ERROR, WARN, INFO and DEBUG on each line. Lines without a level, such as stack traces, stay with the entry above them, so filtering to errors keeps the full trace.

Can I edit the file?

This is a viewer. To change code, download it or copy it into your editor. Converting encodings and line endings is planned.

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