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Image

What is a .vst file?

A .vst file is a Microsoft Visio Drawing (version 5.0). This is an image format — a picture, drawing or graphic. Confusingly, this extension has been used by 8 different formats over the years — they're all listed below.

This extension has been used by more than one format

8 different formats have claimed .vst over the years, so two files with the same extension aren't necessarily the same kind of thing.

How to open a .vst file

  • GIMP (free) and IrfanView open a very wide range of image formats, including obsolete ones.
  • XnView MP is the best bet for unusual or legacy image types.
  • Your operating system's built-in viewer may work for mainstream formats.

The registry records this extension against Microsoft Visio Drawing, Microsoft Visio Drawing, Truevision TGA Bitmap and others, so software from that family is the most likely match.

How to convert a .vst file

  • Open it in GIMP or XnView and export as .png (lossless) or .jpg (smaller).

MIME type

When a .vst file travels over the web, servers label it with one of these MIME types:

application/vnd.visioapplication/vnd.vectorworks

What's a MIME type?

The technical record

For archivists, developers and the merely curious: these are the PRONOM registry entries for .vst.

Format nameVersionMIME typePUID
Microsoft Visio Drawing5.0application/vnd.visiox-fmt/113
Microsoft Visio Drawing2000-2002application/vnd.visiox-fmt/258
Truevision TGA Bitmap1.0x-fmt/367
Truevision TGA Bitmap2.0fmt/402
VectorWorks Plugin or Scriptapplication/vnd.vectorworksfmt/1142
Microsoft Visio Drawing2application/vnd.visiofmt/1508
Microsoft Visio Drawing3application/vnd.visiofmt/1509
Microsoft Visio Drawing4application/vnd.visiofmt/1510

Got another one?