How to view a .SWF file online
From an unreadable file to a sharp preview in seconds.
Open your .SWF
Drag a .SWF file onto the box, or choose it from your device.
View the artwork
Your .SWF 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 .SWF file?
An SWF file is a compiled Adobe Flash animation, game, or interactive movie (Small Web Format). Adobe Flash Player reached end-of-life on 31 December 2020 and now actively blocks all Flash content, so the old advice of enabling Flash in your browser no longer works. In 2026 the way to open an SWF is Ruffle (ruffle.rs), a free open-source Flash emulator available as a desktop app or browser extension.
Programs that open .SWF files
| Full name | Small Web Format (Shockwave Flash) |
|---|---|
| Developer | Adobe Systems (originally FutureWave / Macromedia) |
| First released | 1996 (FutureSplash Animator); Adobe published the SWF File Format Specification, now withdrawn after Flash EOL |
| Category | Vector |
| MIME type | application/x-shockwave-flash |
| Signature | 46 57 53 ("FWS" = uncompressed; "CWS" (43 57 53) = zlib-compressed; "ZWS" (5A 57 53) = LZMA-compressed) |
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 .SWF 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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