What is a PO file?
A .PO file is primarily a Portable Object translation catalog. Developers and translators use these files within the GNU gettext localization system. A .PO file stores user interface text for software applications. It contains pairs of text: the original language string and its translated equivalent. Translators edit these files to make software available in different languages.
How to open PO files?
You can open and edit .PO files using specialized translation software like Poedit or Lokalize. Because these files are saved as plain text, typically using UTF-8 encoding, you can also view their contents using standard code editors like Notepad++ or Visual Studio Code.
Alternative PO file formats
While almost all .PO files are localization catalogs, a small number of .PO files function as ProDOS Order Apple II disk images. Because .PO has multiple possible meanings, it is important to identify the actual format of the user's file before trying to use it.
Inspecting files with viewer.online
viewer.online/po can analyze .PO files to identify the exact format and creator software, inspect the file structure, extract readable text, and check whether an online preview is available. This makes viewer.online/po highly useful for identifying, inspecting, and understanding .PO files without installing software or dealing with compatibility problems.
Best practices and conversions
Translators often need to share data with people who do not have specialized software. We recommend using convert.guru to convert .PO files to sensible target formats like .CSV or .XLSX spreadsheets. Once a translation is complete, developers use command-line tools to compile the text-based .PO file into a binary .MO (Machine Object) file, which the software application can load faster.