Files that contain the KEY extension are associated with multiple programs and applications and various file types. KEY files are most commonly known to be related to Keynote Presentation by Apple, but the extension is also created by DataCAD, Windows 7, or encrypted security programs. KEY files contain data related to the program that created them.
If the KEY file is created by Keynote Presentation, it is a system file type which contains license keys and installation files for the Keynote Presentation software application. Keynote Presentation is part of the Apple iWork productivity suite.
KEY files that are created by DataCAD are a settings file type which contains data related to the DataCAD toolbar. The settings data can be edited and allows you to customize the toolbar for the Data CAD and AutoCAD Computer Aided Design applications.
If the KEY file is a Windows 7 registry key, it is a system file type that is created by the Windows operating system. This type of KEY file is essential for running the operating system, and if it develops an error, it could be the cause of system crashes and problems running Windows.
KEY files can also be an encoded file type that is used to store passwords and other security related data. The file is used to secure programs and applications that you run on your PC and must be decoded in order to read the contents.
How to Open KEY Files
If you are unsure about the origin of a KEY file, double click on the file to see if it will automatically open in a default program. Since KEY files can be associated with a wide variety of programs, you may have an appropriate program installed on your PC that will open them.
If the KEY file is associated with Keynote Presentation, it is necessary to install Apple Keynote in order to open and view its contents. Keynote Presentation is available for download on Apple’s website and is designed to work with Mac OS.
KEY files that are related to DataCAD can be opened using AutoCAD, which is available as a free trial download from the AutoDesk website and works with both Windows and Mac OS X. You can also use FreeCAD or OSSwin, which is open source Computer Aided Design software available as a free download on the SourceForge website. These programs will also work with the Linux operating system.
If the KEY file is a registry file for Windows 7, it is better not to try to access this file unless you understand how the registry works in Windows. If you want to access this file, it is better to set Windows Explorer to display hidden file extensions as opposed to going into the registry to view the file. You can do this by clicking on Start and then choosing My Computer from the menu.
In the My Computer window click on the C Drive and then click on Tools on the main toolbar. Choose Folder Options from the drop-down menu and allow the list to load. Remove the check mark next to Hide File Extensions and then click Apply and OK. This will allow you to find the KEY file you want to open so you can view the contents.
KEY files which contain encrypted information can be opened using the program that created the files. For example, if the extension KEY provides a security key for a software program you have installed, you can open the file by accessing the Systems folder for the program that created the KEY file.
In some cases you can also open and view the contents of a KEY file by using any text editor, such as Notepad or WordPad for Windows, Apple TextEdit for Mac, or gEdit and Nano Editor for Linux.
