Understanding AIF Issues
Issues Opening AIF Files
Microsoft Windows Media Player Not Present
When you double-click your AIF file, you may see a dialog box from your operating system stating that it "Cannot Open This File Type". If this is the case, it's usually due to the fact that you do not have Microsoft Windows Media Player for %%os%% installed on your computer. Because your operating system doesn't know what to do with this file, you won't be able to open it by double-clicking.
Tip: If you don't have Microsoft Windows Media Player installed, and you know of another program to open your AIF file, you can try opening it by selecting from the programs listed under "Show Apps".
Microsoft Windows Media Player is Out-of-Date
Your Audio Interchange File Format file is incompatible with Microsoft Windows Media Player because you might have the wrong version installed. Download the latest Microsoft Windows Media Player version from the Microsoft Corporation website to ensure you have the correct one installed. This problem is most common when you have an older version of the software application, and your file was created by a newer version that it cannot recognize.
Tip: If you right-click on your AIF file, then select "Properties" (Windows) or "Get Info" (Mac), you can obtain hints about what version you need.
Ultimately, most of the difficulties opening AIF files are due to having the wrong version of Microsoft Windows Media Player installed.
More Causes of Problems Opening AIFs
In the majority of cases, installing the right version of Microsoft Windows Media Player will resolve your issue. If you're still experiencing problems opening AIF files, there could be other computer problems. Issues that aren't software-related:
- File references in the Windows Registry for AIF are wrong
- The AIF file description within the Windows Registry was removed
- Microsoft Windows Media Player or another AIF application experienced a flawed installation
- Your AIF file is corrupted (issues with your Audio Interchange File Format file itself)
- Your AIF is infected with malware
- Device drivers of the hardware associated with your AIF file are corrupt or out-of-date
- Windows has inadequate resources to open your Audio Interchange File Format file
Quiz: What file extension was created by Adobe Corporation in 1992?
That's Correct!
The PDF, or Portable Document Format, was first mentioned by Adobe at the Seybold conference in San Jose in 1991. Version 1.0 wasn't announced until the following year at the COMDEX Fall conference where it was awarded ‘best of Comdex’.
Close, but not quite...
The PDF, or Portable Document Format, was first mentioned by Adobe at the Seybold conference in San Jose in 1991. Version 1.0 wasn't announced until the following year at the COMDEX Fall conference where it was awarded ‘best of Comdex’.
Poll: What file type do you use the most at work / in school?