What Is an ERF File?

This article describes the different formats that use the ERF file extension, plus how to open one or convert one to a different format so it's easier to use in other software.

What Is an ERF File?

A file with the ERF file extension is most likely an Epson raw image file. These photos are uncompressed and unprocessed, meaning they're the true photos captured by the Epson camera before any modifications have been made.

If your file isn't in that format, it might instead be an encapsulated resource file used to store video game content like sounds, models, and textures, and used by game engines like Aurora, Eclipse, and Odyssey.

You might see ERF files used by games like Neverwinter Nights, The Witcher, Dragon Age: Origins, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.

This type of resource file may also be referred to as a BioWare Entity or Active Media Eclipse resource file.

ERF also stands for Extensible Record Format. It's a file format used by Endace network monitoring hardware to store packet records. You can read a bit more about this format at Wireshark.

How to Open an ERF File

If your file was created by an Epson camera, open it with a program like PhotoRAW that comes with the camera.

Third-party software works, too, like Windows Photos, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Elements, ACD Systems' Canvas, ACDSee, ColorStrokes, and probably some other popular photo and graphics tools as well.

Do you have an encapsulated resource file? You can edit it with ERF Editor, which is part of the BioWare's Dragon Age Toolset. Nexus Wiki is a great resource if you need help extracting files from an ERF file in order to use them with Dragon Age.

You can also unpack/extract ERF files using ERF/RIM Editor. It supports other similar formats as well, like MOD, SAV, and RIM files, and even lets you pack, or create ERF files, too. You'll need 7-Zip to open the 7Z file. The Dragon Age Toolset's ERF definition for a lot more information on this format.

For Extensible Record Format files used by Endace hardware, it's likely that their own products can open the file.

How to Convert an ERF File

Zamzar is probably the easiest way to convert ERF to JPG, PNG, TIFF, TGA, GIF, BMP, and several other image formats. It's an online file converter, which means all you have to do is upload the file there, choose the output format, and then save the converted image back to your computer.

You can also convert an ERF image with Filestar, which supports over 150 export formats.

We don't imagine that encapsulated resource files can be converted to another format, but if that's possible, we're sure the option to do so can be found in one of the programs we talk about above.

Endace ERF files can be converted to PCAP (Packet Capture Data).

Still Can't Open It?

If your file isn't opening using the programs mentioned here, you may not actually be dealing with an ERF file. It could instead just be a file with an extension that looks similar.

A few examples include SRF, WRF, ORF, DRF, ER (AOL Organizer), and ERB (Ruby on Rails Script).