What is a DE file?
A .DE file is primarily a DrawExpress Diagram File or a diagram project file. Users create these files using diagramming software like DrawExpress, Draw.io, or Mindenite Diagram Editor. The files store shapes, lines, and text for mind maps and flowcharts. Structurally, these diagram files often use the standard JSON format to store data.
However, a .DE file can have multiple possible meanings. Often, .DE is used as a simple language tag in a file name to indicate German content. For example, a file named `manual.de.pdf` is actually a standard PDF document. Similarly, saved webpages or email exports from Mozilla Thunderbird might use `.de.html`.
How to open DE files?
If the file is a diagram, you can open it with the original creator software, such as DrawExpress. Because diagram files often use plain text, you can also inspect them using developer tools like Visual Studio Code.
If the .DE has multiple possible meanings, we recommend using viewer.online/de to identify the actual format of your file. viewer.online/de analyzes .DE files to identify their exact format and creator software, shows which programs can open the file, and usually previews it.
Software and tools
If you need to share a diagram file with people who do not have the right software, you should convert it. We recommend file conversion to sensible target formats on convert.guru. You can easily convert a .DE diagram into standard .PNG, .JPG, or .PDF files.
Best practices and troubleshooting
If your computer cannot open the file, check the full file name. If the file name has a double extension like `.de.zip` or `.de.jpg`, your computer might be confused by the .DE part. Simply remove `.de` from the file name and open the underlying .ZIP or .JPG file directly using your standard software.
Summary
Because .DE files use the known JSON format, viewer.online/de can safely open and display them online, eliminating compatibility problems.