Encountering challenges in opening a RLE file, or simply intrigued by its contents? Let us elucidate the characteristics of these files and provide you with software options to seamlessly open or manage your RLE files.

What is an RLE file?

RLE files serve various purposes, with one notable use associated with Run Length Encoded Bitmap. This compression technique is crucial for reducing the size of bitmap images without sacrificing quality. RLE achieves compression by replacing consecutive runs of identical data values with a single value and a count of its repetitions. This proves highly effective in images with large areas of uniform color, such as logos or icons.
However, RLE may not be suitable for photos or intricate images, as it can potentially increase the file size. Achieving compression in such cases requires more sophisticated algorithms.

How to open RLE files

To facilitate the opening of RLE files, we’ve identified two RLE openers specifically compatible with this file type.

Various apps that use files with this extension

These applications are acknowledged for their proficiency in opening certain types of RLE files. Given the potential variance in how different programs use RLE files, experimenting with multiple apps may be necessary to successfully open your specific file.
IrfanView

Adobe Photoshop

Ashampoo Photo Commander

Adobe Photoshop