The file extension MD5 is associated with a checksum file, which is a technology that is used to ensure a file is downloaded properly. If a downloaded file becomes corrupt, the checksum file will change to inform the end user that the new file is not the same file.
MD5 checksum files use the MD5 Message-Digest Algorithm to verify the integrity of a downloaded file. The algorithm uses a hash value of a specified length (usually 32 characters) which can range anywhere from 16-bits to 256-bits. Each checksum file has a fixed length to enable the file to provide verification if a downloaded file becomes corrupt.
The MD5 file format was established in the early 1990s and was integrated with many programs and applications. Checksum is still used today to verify the integrity of downloaded data which provides an added security measure to a download. Once a file has been downloaded it can be compared to the MD5 checksum algorithm hash value and the value which is posted on the download page.
How to Open MD5 Files
Since the file extension MD5 can be opened using multiple programs and applications, double click on the file to see if it will automatically open in a default program you have installed on your PC. MD5 files can consist of a unified file type, so you may already have a program which will open the file.
If you use the Windows operating system, you can open the file extension MD5 using MD5Checker, which is an application that provides a way to manage, calculate, and verify the MD5 checksum for multiple files and folders. MD5Checker is available as a free download on the Get MD5 Checker website.
You can also use ISOBuster to open MD5 files in Windows. ISOBuster is an application that will recover lost, damaged, or corrupt files from your hard drive, external storage device, or other location. ISOBuster is available in a free trial version on the ISOBuster website. ISOBuster can also be used with Mac OS X and the Linux operating system if you use the Wine emulator which is available as a free download on the WineHQ.org website.
If you are using Mac OS X, you can use checkSum+, which is an application capable of creating and reading MD5 algorithms to let you know if a file is or is not corrupt. CheckSum+ is available as a free download on the MacUpdate website and requires Mac OS X 10.6 or later.
For the Linux operating system, you can use MD5SUM, which is an application that will check MD5 hashes. MD5SUM is available on the Ubuntu website and by accessing the UbuntuHashes web page.
