What is a .djvu file?
DjVu Document · Document · AT&T Labs · 1998
DjVu is a format built for scanned documents. It stores scanned pages, books and technical papers at much smaller sizes than PDF while keeping the text sharp, which is why it is common in digital libraries and archives.
What is a .djvu file used for?
DjVu was designed specifically for scanned pages. It separates the sharp text and line art from the smooth background and photographs, then compresses each in the way that suits it, which makes a scanned book far smaller than the equivalent PDF.
You meet it most in academic archives, library digitisations and old technical documents, where compact high-resolution scans matter.
It needs a DjVu viewer to read, or you can convert it to the more universal PDF. On the desktop, WinDjView and DjView open it; SumatraPDF handles it on Windows too.
How to open a .djvu file
The .djvu format opens in the following apps, grouped by operating system. If one app does not work, try another from the same list.
Windows
- WinDjView
- SumatraPDF
macOS
- DjView
- convert to PDF
Linux
- DjView
- Evince (with plugin)
Web
- Some online DjVu viewers
How to convert a .djvu file
You can convert a .djvu file to PDF using a conversion tool or the export menu of an app that opens it.
.djvu file signature (magic bytes)
Programs recognise a .djvu file by the bytes at the start of the file, not by its name. These are the signatures for DjVu. For a full breakdown, see the DjVu file signature page.
| Hex signature | Offset | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 41 54 26 54 46 4F 52 4D | 0 | 'AT&TFORM' |
See the full magic-numbers reference for every format.
Frequently asked questions
What is a .djvu file?
DjVu is a format built for scanned documents. It stores scanned pages, books and technical papers at much smaller sizes than PDF while keeping the text sharp, which is why it is common in digital libraries and archives.
How do I open a DjVu file?
Use a DjVu viewer such as WinDjView or SumatraPDF on Windows, or DjView on Mac and Linux. If you would rather not install one, convert the DjVu to PDF.
How do I convert DjVu to PDF?
Open it in a DjVu viewer that can print or export, and save or print it to PDF. Dedicated DjVu-to-PDF converters and some online tools also do the job.
Related formats
Sources
Details on this page were checked against authoritative references: