OpenAnyFile
Works
Viewing, inspecting and verifying. You get a byte-level hex and ASCII dump alongside the detected signature, exact size and type analysis. File details, exact byte size and the detected signature are always shown.
How to open a .hqx file
HQX files come from Classic Mac email attachments, and the usual advice — buy the software that made it — is rarely what you need just to look inside one. This page covers what the format is and how to open it in a browser tab.
What is a .hqx file?
BinHex 4.0 Encoded File is a binary & system format developed by Yves Lempereur, first appearing in 1985. It is normally produced by Classic Mac email attachments.
A 7-bit ASCII encoding that let Mac files keep their resource fork while passing through email gateways that mangled binary data — the Mac counterpart to uuencode.
| Full name | BinHex 4.0 Encoded File |
|---|---|
| File category | Binary & system |
| MIME type | application/mac-binhex40 |
| Magic bytes (file signature) | 28 54 68 69 73 20 66 69 6C 65 (This file) |
| Developer | Yves Lempereur |
| Introduced | 1985 |
| Usually created by | Classic Mac email attachments |
| OpenAnyFile engine | universal hex inspector |
| Opens without upload | Yes — parsed locally in your browser |
Open a .hqx file in your browser
OpenAnyFile routes .hqx to its universal hex inspector, which inspects a byte-level hex and ASCII dump alongside the detected signature, exact size and type analysis.
- Open the OpenAnyFile opener in this browser — nothing to download or sign up for.
- Drag your .hqx file onto the drop zone, click to browse for it, or paste it with Ctrl+V.
- The extension is detected and the file is handed to the universal hex inspector.
- Your HQX opens on its own viewer page: a byte-level hex and ASCII dump alongside the detected signature, exact size and type analysis.
- Use fullscreen for a closer look, or download the file back out unchanged. Nothing is transmitted anywhere — the parsing happens in your own browser process.
What you can and cannot do with it here
Does not work
Full-fidelity rendering. This extension has no standard structure, so you get a byte-level inspection rather than a rendered view.
No upload, and here is why that matters for {E}
Handing a .hqx file to a random conversion site means handing over a copy you cannot get back. OpenAnyFile parses the file locally instead — the same way special software reads it off your disk, except the reader happens to be a web page. Nothing is transmitted, so there is nothing to leak, log or subpoena. It also means it keeps working with your Wi-Fi switched off.
Frequently asked questions about HQX files
Can I open a .hqx file without installing special software?
Yes. OpenAnyFile's universal hex inspector runs in your browser, so you can read a HQX file with nothing installed. You get a byte-level hex and ASCII dump alongside the detected signature, exact size and type analysis. It will not replace the original application for editing, but it answers 'what is in this file' in seconds.
How can I check a file really is a HQX file?
Look at the first bytes rather than the extension. A genuine HQX begins with 28 54 68 69 73 20 66 69 6C 65 (This file). Opening the file in OpenAnyFile shows that signature in the file-details panel, so a file renamed to .hqx by mistake is easy to spot.
Is it safe to open a HQX file online?
With OpenAnyFile, yes, because nothing is uploaded. The file is read locally through your browser's File API and never leaves your device, so there is no server copy to leak, log or retain. That matters most for the kind of file people are least willing to hand to a random converter site.
What is a .hqx file, exactly?
BinHex 4.0 Encoded File — an application/mac-binhex40 format created by Yves Lempereur since 1985. A 7-bit ASCII encoding that let Mac files keep their resource fork while passing through email gateways that mangled binary data — the Mac counterpart to uuencode.
Does the same viewer handle formats related to HQX?
Yes — the same engine also opens .dll, .doc, .exe, so you can compare related files without switching tools.
Related formats
These open with the same engine, so if you have one of these sitting next to your .hqx file, it will open too: