What's the CDA File?

Researcher:   |   Refreshed: November 26, 2018

Microsoft Silver

CDA File Summary

File Extension CDA has only one distinct file type (CD Audio Track Shortcut format) and is mostly associated with Microsoft Windows Media Player (Microsoft Corporation) and four other software programs. CDA files are categorized ordinarily as Audio Files.

The CDA File Extension can be viewed on the Windows, Mac, and Windows Phone operating systems. They are supported on both desktop and mobile devices. CDA files have a "Low" Popularity Rating; this means that they are not present on most devices.

Please see the detailed information below to learn more about CDA files and the programs that can open them. In addition, we provide simple troubleshooting information to help you open your CDA file.

Low
Popular
729
File Rank

/ 11690

Active

Status

26

November

2018

Edited

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Types of CDA Files


Primary CDA File Association

.CDA
File Format:.cda
File Type:CD Audio Track Shortcut

CDA is a small file generated by Microsoft Windows for each track on the audio CD and is a shortcut of the track. It plays the referenced track on the CD when opened, so if the cd is not imported to the CD-ROM it will not work because CDA doesn't contain audio data but it tells where on the disc each track starts and stops. CDA is only a shortcut to part of the disc.

Developer: Microsoft Corporation
Division:Audio Files
Subkey: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.cda

Software Programs That Open The CD Audio Track Shortcut:


Microsoft Windows Media Player by Microsoft Corporation

Windows
Windows Phone
Mac

Apple iTunes by Apple

Windows
Mac
iOS
Linux

JRiver Media Center by JRiver

Windows
Mac
Linux

RealNetworks RealTimes by RealNetworks

Windows
Mac
Linux

Nullsoft Winamp by Nullsoft

Windows
Mac
Android

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CDA Popularity


Leading Device Types

Desktop (84.34%)
Mobile (14.29%)
Tablet (1.37%)


Troubleshoot CDA Files


Common Problems Opening CDA Files

Microsoft Windows Media Player Disappeared

You encounter an error message such as "%%os%% Can't Open CDA Files" when trying to open your CDA. Generally, this is experienced in %%os%% because Microsoft Windows Media Player isn't installed on your PC. 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: When you have another program installed that you know will open your CDA, you can select it from the other programs listed (see "Show Apps").


Obsolete Version of Microsoft Windows Media Player

Sometimes your installed version of Microsoft Windows Media Player won't support your CD Audio Track Shortcut file. Installing the latest version of Microsoft Windows Media Player from Microsoft Corporation is recommended. This issue mainly occurs when your CD Audio Track Shortcut file was created by a newer version of Microsoft Windows Media Player than you have on your PC.


Tip: Investigate your CDA file by right-clicking and selecting "Properties" to find clues on what version you need.


Regardless, most of the CDA file opening problems relate to not having the right version of Microsoft Windows Media Player installed.


More Causes of Problems Opening CDAs

You can still experience errors opening CDA files even with the latest version of Microsoft Windows Media Player installed on your PC. There can be other issues - unrelated to software - preventing you from opening CDA files. Additional factors include:

  • CDA file references in the Windows Registry are broken
  • Unintentional removal of the description of the CDA file inside the Windows Registry
  • Microsoft Windows Media Player or another CDA application experienced a flawed installation
  • Your CDA can't be loaded properly (file corruption)
  • Your CDA has adversely impacted by malware
  • Hardware associated with CDA has outdated drivers
  • Too many applications are open on your PC to load your CD Audio Track Shortcut file successfully

Quiz: Which file extension is not a type of spreadsheet?








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