What is a .eps file?
Encapsulated PostScript · Image · Adobe / Aldus · 1987
EPS is a vector graphics format built on PostScript, designed to be embedded inside another document or opened as a single, self-contained illustration. It was the standard way to hand off print-ready artwork between different design programs for decades, and it remains common in professional print and publishing workflows.
What is a .eps file used for?
An EPS is a PostScript program that draws a single piece of artwork, wrapped with a strict set of conventions (a bounding box, a preview image) so page-layout software can place it without running the PostScript itself.
Because a bare PostScript interpreter is not always available, many EPS files also carry an embedded low-resolution preview image, in TIFF or WMF, so an app that cannot render PostScript can still show roughly what the file contains.
It predates PDF as the universal print-and-design interchange format and was for years the default 'export for another program' choice from Illustrator, Photoshop and page layout software; PDF has since taken over most of that role.
An EPS can hold vector paths, embedded raster images, or a mix of both, but unlike SVG it has no notion of interactivity or CSS-style styling, it is purely a fixed illustration.
What opens a .eps file?
The .eps format opens in the following apps, grouped by operating system. If one app does not work, try another from the same list.
Windows
- Illustrator
- Inkscape
- Photoshop
- GIMP (via Ghostscript)
macOS
- Illustrator
- Preview (view only)
- Affinity Designer
Linux
- Inkscape
- GIMP (via Ghostscript)
Web
- Photopea
Open a .eps file step by step
- Confirm the file really is a .eps. Drop it into the WhatFileType identifier, which reads its signature in your browser without uploading anything.
- On Windows, open it with Illustrator or Inkscape.
- On Mac, use Illustrator or Preview (view only).
- On Linux, try Inkscape or GIMP (via Ghostscript).
- Still stuck? Convert the .eps to PDF, which opens more widely.
Why can't I open my .eps file?
Almost always because no installed app understands EPS. Install one of the apps above, or convert the file to a format your existing software already reads. If double-clicking opens the wrong program instead of nothing at all, the file association is set to the wrong app rather than the file being broken.
The other possibility is that the file is not really a .eps at all. Drop it into the file identifier to check it by its bytes instead of its name. Nothing is uploaded.
How to convert a .eps file
You can convert a .eps file to PDF, SVG, PNG, AI using a conversion tool or the export menu of an app that opens it.
What is the .eps file signature (magic bytes)?
A .eps file starts with the hex bytes 25 21 50 53 2D 41 64 6F 62 65 2D, which read as %!PS-Adobe- in ASCII. Programs identify EPS by those bytes, not by the filename, so a renamed file still gives itself away.
These are the documented signatures for EPS. For a full breakdown, see the PostScript / EPS file signature page.
| Hex signature | Offset | ASCII | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 21 50 53 2D 41 64 6F 62 65 2D | 0 | %!PS-Adobe- | '%!PS-Adobe-' ASCII EPS header, followed by the EPSF version |
| C5 D0 D3 C6 | 0 | - | DOS EPS binary header (wraps a TIFF or WMF preview alongside the PostScript) |
See the full magic-numbers reference for every format.
Frequently asked questions
What is a .eps file?
EPS is a vector graphics format built on PostScript, designed to be embedded inside another document or opened as a single, self-contained illustration. It was the standard way to hand off print-ready artwork between different design programs for decades, and it remains common in professional print and publishing workflows.
How do I open an EPS file?
Illustrator, Inkscape and Photoshop all open EPS directly. Without design software, the free web app Photopea opens one in a browser, or you can convert it to PDF or PNG with a converter.
What is the difference between EPS and AI?
They share the same PostScript ancestry, an old AI file is essentially an EPS. The practical difference today is that AI is Illustrator's live, fully editable project file, while EPS is meant as a finished illustration for placing into other documents.
Related formats
Sources
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