What is a .ora file?
OpenRaster Image · Design · Free Software community · 2007
An .ora file is OpenRaster, an open, application-neutral format for layered images. It was created so painting programs like Krita, MyPaint and GIMP could exchange layered artwork without a proprietary format.
What is a .ora file used for?
OpenRaster is a ZIP package of PNG layers plus a stack description, so it starts with the ZIP signature and any tool can read it. It is the open answer to PSD for interchange between free painting apps.
Krita, GIMP and MyPaint all read and write .ora. Export to PNG for a flat image.
What opens a .ora file?
The .ora format opens in the following apps, grouped by operating system. If one app does not work, try another from the same list.
Windows
- Krita
- GIMP
- MyPaint
macOS
- Krita
- GIMP
Linux
- Krita
- GIMP
- MyPaint
Open a .ora file step by step
- Confirm the file really is a .ora. Drop it into the WhatFileType identifier, which reads its signature in your browser without uploading anything.
- On Windows, open it with Krita or GIMP.
- On Mac, use Krita or GIMP.
- On Linux, try Krita or GIMP.
- Still stuck? Convert the .ora to png, which opens more widely.
Why can't I open my .ora file?
Almost always because no installed app understands OpenRaster. 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 .ora 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 .ora file
You can convert a .ora file to png, psd, kra using a conversion tool or the export menu of an app that opens it.
What is the .ora file signature (magic bytes)?
A .ora file starts with the hex bytes 50 4B 03 04, which read as PK.. in ASCII. Programs identify OpenRaster by those bytes, not by the filename, so a renamed file still gives itself away.
These are the documented signatures for OpenRaster. For a full breakdown, see the ZIP file signature page.
| Hex signature | Offset | ASCII | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 4B 03 04 | 0 | PK.. | ZIP package (PK..) |
See the full magic-numbers reference for every format.
Frequently asked questions
What is a .ora file?
An .ora file is OpenRaster, an open, application-neutral format for layered images. It was created so painting programs like Krita, MyPaint and GIMP could exchange layered artwork without a proprietary format.
How do I open an .ora file?
Use Krita, GIMP or MyPaint, all free and all supporting OpenRaster with layers intact. Export to PNG for a flat image.
What is OpenRaster for?
Exchanging layered artwork between free painting programs without relying on the proprietary PSD format. It is an open, ZIP-based standard.
Is .ora the same as .psd?
Both store layered images, but .ora is an open ZIP-of-PNG format, while .psd is Adobe's proprietary Photoshop format.
Related formats
Sources
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