How to open a .safetensors file (Windows, Mac, Linux)

Q: Why can't I open my .safetensors file?

Usually your computer lacks an app that understands Safetensors. Install one of the apps listed here, or convert the file to a more common format.

A .safetensors file is a Safetensors Model Weights. If double-clicking does nothing, your computer simply does not have an app that reads Safetensors yet. Here is how to fix that on each operating system, using free software wherever possible.

Open a .safetensors file step by step

Confirm the file really is a .safetensors. Drop it into the WhatFileType file identifier, which reads its signature without uploading anything.
On Windows, open it with Python (safetensors, transformers) or ComfyUI.
On Mac, use Python (safetensors, transformers) or ComfyUI.
On Linux, try Python (safetensors, transformers) or ComfyUI.
Still stuck? Convert the .safetensors to gguf (via conversion), which opens more widely.

Best apps to open .safetensors files

Windows

Python (safetensors, transformers)
ComfyUI
Automatic1111

macOS

Python (safetensors, transformers)
ComfyUI

Linux

Python (safetensors, transformers)
ComfyUI

Before you open it: Safe by design. Unlike pickle, safetensors stores only tensor data and never executes code on load, which is the whole reason it exists.

Frequently asked questions

Why can't I open my .safetensors file?

Almost always because no installed app understands Safetensors. Install one of the apps above, or convert the file to a format your existing software already reads.

How do I open a safetensors file?

Load it in Python with the safetensors or transformers library, or in a UI like ComfyUI or Automatic1111. It is model weights, not a document.

Why is safetensors safer than a pickle file?

Python pickle can execute arbitrary code when loaded, a real security risk with shared models. Safetensors stores only numbers, so loading it cannot run code.