# How can I see my .art files?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-see-my-art-files/369445>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 20, 2006, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-see-my-art-files/369445 "2006-08-20T14:36:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-see-my-art-files/369445/1 "2006-08-20T14:36:21Z")

</div>

I have a large number of graphics files with an .art extension which I’ve always been able to see with Internet Explorer.

However, due (I’m guessing) to a recent “automatic update,” I can no longer open them.

Anybody got a clue how I can see them again? They don’t open with any other graphics program that I have currently.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-see-my-art-files/369445/2 "2006-08-20T14:48:52Z")

</div>

That’s an AOL proprietary format. Microsoft recently discovered a security flaw (oh, the irony!) in it and stopped support for the .ART viewer in IE. [This page](http://members.aol.com/oldnelly77/page9.htm) describes how to use AOL to convert the files to a more useable format (you don’t need to sign up with AOL to do this).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-see-my-art-files/369445/3 "2006-08-21T04:04:40Z")

</div>

Thanks **Q.E.D** , but it isn’t quite working for me. From the page you linked:

> [@](#):
>
> NOTE: Internet Explorer 4.0 and higher can also read .ART format images and can be used to convert them to BMP format.. Just Open the .ART file in Internet Explorer, and then Save As in BMP format.

This used to work, but now it doesn’t anymore. IE will no longer open them. That’s why I’m kvetching. I’m guessing I’ll have to download an older version of IE, or something.

Or I’ll have to _ **shudder** _ download AOL.

Stupid updates…