┌─ FILE ANALYSIS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ┐
│ DEVELOPER : Microsoft
│ CATEGORY : Executable
│ MIME TYPE : application/vnd.microsoft.portable-executable
│ MAGIC BYTES : 4D5A
└ ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ┘
What is an EXE file?
EXE (Executable) is the standard file format for programs on Microsoft Windows. When you double-click an EXE file, Windows loads and executes the compiled machine code it contains. EXE files can be applications, installers, self-extracting archives, or system utilities.
How to open EXE files
- Windows — Double-click to execute (native)
- Wine (Linux, macOS) — Windows compatibility layer
- 7-Zip (Windows) — Extract resources from EXE installers
- PE Explorer (Windows) — Analyze EXE structure
- IDA Free (Windows, Linux, macOS) — Disassembly and analysis
Technical specifications
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Format | PE (Portable Executable) |
| Architecture | x86, x64, ARM |
| Subsystems | Console, GUI, Driver |
| Signing | Authenticode digital signatures |
| Sections | .text, .data, .rdata, .rsrc |
Programs that open EXE files
- Windows — Native execution
- Wine / Proton — Linux/macOS compatibility
- PE-bear — PE file analyzer
- Resource Hacker — Resource editor
Common use cases
- Applications: Desktop software
- Installers: Setup wizards (NSIS, Inno Setup)
- System utilities: Command-line tools
- Games: Windows game executables