What Is an SFM File?

This article explains several formats that use the SFM file extension and how to open and convert each type.

What Is an SFM File?

A file with the SFM file extension might be a note file created by the S Memo app on a Samsung device.

SFM is also an abbreviation for Standard Format Markers, which are characters embedded into a page of text to indicate a verse, chapter, or other section of a larger group of writing. These plain text files can use the .SFM file extension.

Valve's Source Filmmaker (SFM) tool uses .SFM files, too, as saved sessions while making movies. Some SFM files may instead be DART Pro 98 Soundtree Structure files or accounting form files.

How to Open an SFM File

Samsung devices that use SFM files will store and open them as needed. There's really no need, and probably not even a means, to open them from the device itself. 

However, if you connect the device to a computer, you may be able to copy the file out of the \Application\Smemo\cache\ or \Application\Smemo\switcher\ folder and then open it with a free text editor.

Some devices use S Notes instead of S Memo, so it's possible that SFM files used on those devices won't open with the default notes application. However, it's unlikely SFM files are created on Samsung devices that don't use S Memo.

SFM files that are Standard Format Markers should also be able to be opened with a text editor. The Adapt It translation program uses SFM files for things like filtering information and navigating through text. Paratext is another program that uses SFM files.

Source Filmmaker (it requires Steam) opens SFM files that are used with that tool. DART Pro should be able to open SFM files used as Soundtree Structure files. Other files ending in .SFM might be used for accounting forms, and can be opened with Sage's accounting software.

How to Convert an SFM File

If you're able to open an S Memo text file in a text editor, then you can most definitely convert it to another text-based format like HTML or TXT.

Standard Format Markers might be able to be saved to another format through the same program that can open the file.

The same is true for DART Pro and accounting forms that use the .SFM file extension. Any program that supports exporting or converting a file to a different format probably has the option to do so somewhere in the File menu, or maybe through a Convert or Export option.

Source Filmmaker files can be tricky to understand. Since these are used with movie files, it might seem possible to convert the SFM file to MP4, MP3, MOV, AVI, or some other audio/video format, but that's not possible since the SFM file is merely a saved session that corresponds to the project you're using with Source Filmmaker.

There's probably no reason to convert that kind of file to any other format, but if you want to make a movie file with Source Filmmaker, open the SFM file to load the session, and then use the File > Export > Movie menu option.

Still Can't Open the File?

If none of the programs from above will open your file, there's a good chance that you don't really have an SFM file, but are instead misreading the file extension.

For example, maybe it's really an SMF (StarMath formula), SFZ, SFV, SFW (Seattle FilmWorks image), CFM, or SFPACK file.

If you don't really have an SFM file, research the file's real extension to learn which programs can be used to open or convert it.