What is a .plist file?
Apple Property List · Code and data · Apple / NeXT · 1996
A .plist file is an Apple property list, the standard way macOS and iOS store settings and structured data. It comes in two forms: readable XML, or a compact binary that starts with bplist00.
What is a .plist file used for?
Property lists hold key-value data: app preferences, bundle info (Info.plist) and configuration. XML plists open in any text editor; binary plists need a tool like Xcode, the plutil command, or a plist viewer.
You can convert between the two forms with plutil on a Mac (plutil -convert xml1 file.plist), which is handy for reading a binary plist.
What opens a .plist file?
The .plist format opens in the following apps, grouped by operating system. If one app does not work, try another from the same list.
Windows
- plist Editor
- text editor (XML form)
macOS
- Xcode
- plutil (command line)
- text editor
Linux
- Python (plistlib)
- text editor (XML form)
Open a .plist file step by step
- Confirm the file really is a .plist. Drop it into the WhatFileType identifier, which reads its signature in your browser without uploading anything.
- On Windows, open it with plist Editor or text editor (XML form).
- On Mac, use Xcode or plutil (command line).
- On Linux, try Python (plistlib) or text editor (XML form).
- Still stuck? Convert the .plist to xml, which opens more widely.
Why can't I open my .plist file?
Almost always because no installed app understands Property List. 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 .plist 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 .plist file
You can convert a .plist file to xml, json using a conversion tool or the export menu of an app that opens it.
What is the .plist file signature (magic bytes)?
A .plist file starts with the hex bytes 62 70 6C 69 73 74 30 30, which read as bplist00 in ASCII. Programs identify Property List by those bytes, not by the filename, so a renamed file still gives itself away.
These are the documented signatures for Property List. For a full breakdown, see the Binary property list file signature page.
| Hex signature | Offset | ASCII | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62 70 6C 69 73 74 30 30 | 0 | bplist00 | 'bplist00' (binary form); XML plists start with <?xml |
See the full magic-numbers reference for every format.
Frequently asked questions
What is a .plist file?
A .plist file is an Apple property list, the standard way macOS and iOS store settings and structured data. It comes in two forms: readable XML, or a compact binary that starts with bplist00.
How do I open a .plist file?
An XML plist opens in any text editor. For a binary plist, use Xcode, run plutil -convert xml1 file.plist on a Mac, or read it in Python with plistlib.
What is a binary plist?
A compact binary form of a property list that starts with the bytes bplist00. It is smaller and faster than XML but not human-readable until converted.
What is an Info.plist file?
The property list that describes a macOS or iOS app bundle: its identifier, version, permissions and configuration. Every app bundle has one.
Related formats
Sources
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