INI stands for Text Configuration Format file. Windows generally uses these files for INItializing program settings. These files contain configuration data in sections, with each section being formed out of name value pairs.
Each section in an INI file begins with the tag [SECTION]. Data inside the file is not case sensitive on Windows. A semi colon (;) can be used for specifying comments inside the file. Special characters in an INI file need to be escaped with the backslash () character. BOOT.INI, SYSTEM.INI and WIN.INI are common examples of INI files.
A few platforms allow for key value pairs to be separated with a colon (:).
| File type | Text Configuration Format |
| Developer | Lack of information |
| Popularity | |
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While searching for an answer to the question - How to open the INI file? - you probably found websites, which offer software that was able to open any file extension. Do not be fooled, there is no one program that will allow you to work with any file extension, including the INI file. Each program contains a different type of data and you need specialized software to properly work with the INI file. Here is a list of programs that are designed to work with the INI file - remember, these applications are able to open at most a few file extensions, they are designed to work with a specific data type.
If after installing the program from a list, you still cannot open a file with the INI extension, the reason may be that the file is damaged. The solution may be to find a new copy of the INI file you want to open
In this case, the easiest way is to use the tool built into the operating system for association of the INI file with applications to support it. Double click on the file you cannot open - the operating system will display a list of programs that are likely to work with your INI file. Choose one of them, or select the location on a disk where you installed one of the applications from our list. Windows should then open the INI file using the program installed earlier.
Entries containing links of the INI file extensions with applications is located in the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT. If you do not know how to get to the Windows Registry, or how to make changes in it, ask a specialist for help. Lack of knowledge on the subject may cause irreversible changes on your computer.
There may be a situation when a computer virus passes itself off as the INI file. In this case, such a file will definitely not be opened. Download a good antivirus program and scan the INI file mentioned. If the antivirus application detects malicious data, it may signify that the INI file is infected.
| INGR | Intergraph Raster File Format |
| INFO-19 | Cygwin Info |
| INCA | Adobe InDesign Format |
| INPROGRESS | Apple Mac OS X Time Machine Temporary Format |
| INFO-30 | Cygwin Info |
| INIX | Adobe InDesign |
| INDEX | Eclipse Help Index |
| INFO-25 | Cygwin Info |
| IN | McAfee Antivirus Format |
| INS | InstallShield Script Format |
