How to open a .scss file
Quick, free ways to open SCSS on any system.
A .scss file is a Sassy CSS. If double-clicking does nothing, your computer simply does not have an app that reads SCSS yet. Here is how to fix that on each operating system, using free software wherever possible.
Open a .scss file step by step
- Confirm the file really is a .scss. Drop it into the WhatFileType file identifier, which reads its signature without uploading anything.
- On Windows, open it with VS Code or WebStorm.
- On Mac, use VS Code or WebStorm.
- On Linux, try VS Code or vim.
- Still stuck? Convert the .scss to css, which opens more widely.
Best apps to open .scss files
Windows
- VS Code
- WebStorm
- any text editor
macOS
- VS Code
- WebStorm
- any text editor
Linux
- VS Code
- vim
- any text editor
!
Before you open it: Safe. SCSS is stylesheet source, not executable code. It compiles to CSS, which only styles a page.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I open my .scss file?
Almost always because no installed app understands SCSS. Install one of the apps above, or convert the file to a format your existing software already reads.
What is the difference between SCSS and CSS?
SCSS adds variables, nesting, mixins and functions on top of CSS, then compiles to plain CSS. Every valid CSS file is also valid SCSS.
What is the difference between SCSS and Sass?
They are two syntaxes for the same language. SCSS uses braces and semicolons like CSS; the older .sass syntax uses indentation instead.