Extract Files from an .exe Online

How to extract an EXE file without running it

1. Drop the .exe onto the box above, or click to choose it.
2. If it is a supported installer or self-extractor, its files are listed. Browse, search and preview them.
3. Download the files you need, or everything as one archive.

Which EXE files can be unpacked

Many .exe files are an archive with a small unpacking program attached to the front. Whether this tool can read one depends on which packer made it.

• NSIS installers work. This is one of the most common installer systems for Windows software; it was tested with the Notepad++ installer.
• Self-extracting archives made by 7-Zip, WinRAR or a ZIP tool work and open like the archive inside them, including a password prompt if the archive is encrypted.
• Inno Setup installers work. Installers built with Inno Setup 5.6, 6.7 and 7.1 were tested. Password-protected (encrypted) Inno Setup installers are not supported.
• InstallShield installers are not supported.

How to tell what you have

The quickest test is to drop the file in. A supported installer shows a normal file list: program files, DLLs and resources. An unsupported installer, or an ordinary program that is not an archive at all, shows only its internal sections, with names like .text, .data and .rsrc. That view is rarely useful, and it means the contents cannot be reached here.

With an NSIS or Inno Setup installer you get the files the installer carries, in the installer’s own layout. Inno Setup files appear under folders such as app and tmp, named after the destination each file is meant for, so app holds what would go into the program folder. That is not always identical to what ends up on disk after a real installation. The Test button does not work for Inno Setup installers.

Looking inside without executing

The file is treated as data. No code from it runs, so opening a download you are unsure about is a way to see what it contains before deciding whether to trust it. The files you extract deserve the same caution as the installer itself. The EXE is read on your own machine and is not sent anywhere.

Frequently asked questions

Can I extract an Inno Setup installer here?

Yes. Inno Setup installers from version 5 to 7 open and list their files under folders such as app and tmp. Password-protected Inno Setup installers are the exception and cannot be opened.

What about InstallShield setup.exe files?

Not supported. Neither the InstallShield installer nor its cabinet files can be read by this tool.

Is the EXE executed when I open it here?

No. It is parsed as an archive in the browser. Nothing from the file is run and nothing is installed.

Why do I only see .text, .data and .rsrc?

Those are the sections of the executable itself. It means the file is either a plain program with no archive attached, or an installer type this tool cannot read.

Can I open a password-protected self-extracting archive?

Yes, for 7-Zip, RAR and ZIP self-extractors. You are asked for the password, and it is used on your device only. Encrypted Inno Setup installers are not supported.