.CAR File Extension
Compiled Asset Catalog
| Developer | Apple |
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A CAR file may also be a compiled asset catalog created by Apple Xcode to store assets, such as icons, images, and textures, for iOS, tvOS, watchOS, and macOS applications. App developers compile CAR files from .xcassets folders to distribute with the app bundle. Apple developed the proprietary CAR format to efficiently package assets at different resolutions for apps.
More Information
Apple introduced the CAR format in September 2013 when it released Xcode 5 and iOS 7. When developers build an iOS, tvOS, watchOS, or macOS application in Xcode, they place the app's assets in an Assets.xcassets folder and then compile it to the CAR format to distribute with the app bundle.
Typically, you can find the CAR file packaged with an app in its Resources directory. For example, you can navigate to the CAR file packaged with iMovie in macOS by following these steps:
- Right-click the iMovie app (.APP file) in the Applications directory and and select to open it as a macOS package.
- Double-click Contents, then open the Resources folder.
- Navigate to the Assets.car file.
NOTE: Apple continuously develops the CAR format, adding new features with each version.
Common CAR Filenames
Assets.car - Name of the CAR file packaged in the Resources directory of an application installation.
How to open a CAR file
CAR files are not intended to be opened. Instead, they are packaged with an app to store assets used by the app.
However, if you are looking to extract or modify an asset, such as an icon or texture, you can open a CAR file with various Mac programs, including Asset Catalog Tinkerer, ThemeEngine, iOS Asset Extractor, and acextract. For example, to open a CAR file with Asset Catalog Tinkerer, select .
NOTE: While Apple Xcode creates CAR files, it cannot open them.
How to convert a CAR file
Several applications, including Asset Catalog Tinkerer and Pragmatic Code Crunch, can extract assets from CAR files and convert them to other formats.
For example, Asset Catalog Tinkerer can convert the assets stored in a CAR file to PNG images. To convert all of the assets in a CAR file with Asset Catalog Tinkerer, select . Additionally, to convert a specific asset with Asset Catalog Tinkerer, select .