File Extension Library


.IWA File Extension

  • Developer by: Apple
  • Category: Encoded Files
  • Format: Binary

What are .IWA files and how to open them?

Can't open .IWA file? Are you wondering what it contains? On our site we will explain to you what this file is, what it is used for and what software opens the .IWA file.

What is a .IWA file extension?

.IWA file extension is created by Apple. .IWA has been classified as Encoded Files. The format of .IWA file is Binary.

.IWA is iWork Archive File

Archive file format used by the iWork suite; contains serialized components, such as theme style sheets, tables, and metadata, in a Protobuf stream, which is compressed in the Snappy compression format; located inside the Index.zip file in an iWork document bundle.

The IWA format replaces the previous XML-based format by splitting XML documents into small binary files that can be loaded in isolation, which is better for iOS devices that have less RAM and for sharing to iCloud. The data contained in the index XML file is now encoded in the IWA binary files, which are contained in the Index.zip file.

A Protobuf stream is a way of encoding structured data for more efficient data exchange. The encoded data is compressed with Snappy compression, a format widely used by Google and intended for high compression and decompression speeds. The format compresses around 250 MB/sec and decompresses close to 500 MB/sec.

NOTE: The IWA format was released with the iWork '13 suite.

List of all softwares that can open the iWork Archive File
Mac
Apple Pages
Apple Numbers
Apple Keynote

How to fix problems with .IWA files

  1. You need to update the application that you normally use to open .IWA files. Only the latest version of the software supports the current .IWA file format
  2. You need to check the .IWA file for viruses. To do this, you need to scan it with a popular antivirus (Norton, Nod32, Kaspersky, Dr.Web, etc.)