How to Open a Webarchive

By Stephen Lilley

Updated September 28, 2017

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A webarchive file (which will have a .WARC file extension) is a file that contains information to an Internet website. This file has been created so that you may view certain elements of the site even if you do not have a working Internet connection at the moment. If you want to open the webarchive file on your computer, you'll need to use your web browser. It doesn't matter which browser you use—by design, they can all work with and open these complicated webarchive files.

Open your web browser. As previously stated, it does not matter which one you use. You can choose to either double click on the shortcut icon for your web browser on your desktop, or you can click "Start," then "Programs" and select the appropriate software icon that way.

Click "File."

Click "Open." Navigate to the webarchive file you'd like to open. Remember that it will have a .WARC file extension. Once you have located the file, you need to click on it a single time. This will highlight it. Then click the "Open" button. This will open the contents of the webarchive file in your web browser, displaying its contents on screen.

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