.LZW File Extension

The lzw file extension is used for archives compressed with the LZW compression method.

The compression format LZW is Lempel-Ziv-Welch or LZW compression.

Basically LZW creates tables of strings while compressing/decompressing data, and then later outputs the ID of the string rather than the string itself saving space. Decompression reads this and it to build a table of strings as it reads, saving the compression from needing to write large string tables at the beginning of the file, thus making it very effective.

.LZW file format is deprecated and this file format is no longer supported.

Currently, .LZW file type is not actively used and is obsolete. This usually happens with system files in older operating systems, files from long-discontinued software, or with previous versions of some file types (documents, projects, images, etc.) that were replaced in later versions of the original programs.

How to open:

Use compatible tools to work with *.lzw files.

How to convert:

As far as we know, this .lzw file type can't be converted to any other file format. This is usually the case of system, configuration, temporary, or data files containing data exclusive to only one software and used for its own purposes. Also some proprietary or closed file formats cannot be converted to more common file types in order to protect the intellectual property of the developer, which is for example the case of some DRM-protected multimedia files.