---
title: ".djvu file — what it is and how to open it"
description: "A .djvu file is a DjVu Scanned Document. A scanned-document format that compresses text pages far better than PDF. How to open one on Windows, macOS and Linux, and what to convert it to."
url: https://atoneplace.net/file/djvu/
site: "At One Place"
---

# .djvu files

**.djvu file: DjVu Scanned Document**

A scanned-document format that compresses text pages far better than PDF.

## What opens a .djvu file

- **Windows:** SumatraPDF, DjVuLibre / DjView, Calibre
- **macOS:** Calibre, DjView (via Homebrew)
- **Linux:** Okular, Document Viewer / Evince (built in), DjView

## What a .djvu file is

DjVu was developed at AT&T Labs in the 1990s to make scanned books small by separating text from background images, and academic and public-domain archives still distribute in it. Nothing opens it out of the box: Windows needs SumatraPDF or DjVuLibre, Linux has Okular and Evince, and on macOS the practical answers are Calibre or a DjVu app from the App Store. Converting to PDF makes the file bigger but universally readable.

## Converting it

A .djvu file is commonly converted to .pdf, .jpg, .png, .txt or .epub. It is a binary format, so a text editor will show unreadable characters rather than its contents.

## Details

- **Extension:** .djvu
- **Full name:** DjVu Scanned Document
- **Category:** E-books
- **MIME type:** image/vnd.djvu
- **Created by:** AT&T Labs / LizardTech
- **Format:** Binary

## Common questions

### How do I open a .djvu file?

On Windows use SumatraPDF; on macOS use Calibre; on Linux use Okular. A scanned-document format that compresses text pages far better than PDF.

### What is a .djvu file?

DjVu Scanned Document. DjVu was developed at AT&T Labs in the 1990s to make scanned books small by separating text from background images, and academic and public-domain archives still distribute in it. Nothing opens it out of the box: Windows needs SumatraPDF or DjVuLibre, Linux has Okular and Evince, and on macOS the practical answers are Calibre or a DjVu app from the App Store.

### Can I convert a .djvu file?

Yes. It is usually converted to .pdf, .jpg, .png, .txt or .epub, either by exporting from one of the programs listed above or with a format converter.

## Related pages

- [.epub — Electronic Publication](https://atoneplace.net/file/epub/)
- [.mobi — Mobipocket Ebook](https://atoneplace.net/file/mobi/)
- [.azw3 — Kindle Format 8](https://atoneplace.net/file/azw3/)
- [.cbz — Comic Book Archive (ZIP)](https://atoneplace.net/file/cbz/)
- [.cbr — Comic Book Archive (RAR)](https://atoneplace.net/file/cbr/)

## Sources

- Media Types Registry — IANA (https://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/)
- Official vendor product documentation — At One Place (/about/)