CPIO file format description

Many people share .cpio files without attaching instructions on how to use it. Yet it isn’t evident for everyone which program a .cpio file can be edited, converted or printed with. On this page, we try to provide assistance for handling .cpio files.

1 filename extension(s) found in our database.

.cpio - CPIO Archive

The CPIO archive files are related to GnuWin32 CPIO. The CPIO file is a CPIO Archive. Cpio is a standard binary file archiver on Unix.

Application:

GnuWin32 CPIO

Category:

Archive files

Mime-type:

application/x-cpio

Magic:

- / -

Aliases:

CPIO Archive related extensions:

.pbr: Novell BorderManager Support Pack
.kodi: Kodi Update Data
.arn: CD Autorun Creator Package
.toppkg: TopSolid Package
.avgsounds: AVG Internet Security Sound Package
.paf: Portable Application Installer

Naturally, other applications may also use the .cpio file extension. Even harmful programs can create .cpio files. Be especially cautious with .cpio files coming from an unknown source!

Can't open a .cpio file?

When you double-click a file to open it, Windows examines the filename extension. If Windows recognizes the filename extension, it opens the file in the program that is associated with that filename extension. When Windows does not recognize a filename extension, you receive the following message:

Windows can't open this file:

example.cpio

To open this file, Windows needs to know what program you want to use to open it. Windows can go online to look it up automatically, or you can manually select one from a list of programs that are installed on your computer.

To avoid this error, you need to set the file association correctly.

Open Control Panel > Control Panel Home > Default Programs > Set Associations.
Select a file type in the list and click Change Program.

The .cpio file extension is often given incorrectly!

According to the searches on our site, these misspellings were the most common in the past year:

cio, cpi, cpo, pio

Is it possible that the filename extension is misspelled?

Similar file extensions in our database:

.cpi: MS-DOS Code Page Information
.cpi: Lifo-Pro Consumer Price Index
.cpi: Atari 8-bit Marco Pixel Editor Image
.cpi: Sietronics XRD Scan Document
.cpo: ChessBase Positions Openings
.pio: Avid Pro Tools IO Settings

Operating systems

DataTypes.net currently supports the following operating systems:

Windows XP/Vista, Windows 7/8/10, Windows 11, CentOS, Debian GNU/Linux, Ubuntu Linux, FreeBSD, macOS, Mac OS X, iOS, Android

If you find the information on this page useful, please feel free to link to this page.

https://datatypes.net/open-cpio-files

If you have useful information about the .cpio file format, then write to us!