How to Open, Edit, & Convert IDX Files on a Computer

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What an IDX file is and how you can open and edit it

Written by Travis Boylls

Last Updated: January 28, 2026 Fact Checked

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Using VLC

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Editing IDX Files

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Converting an IDX File

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FAQ

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Tips

IDX files are associated with a variety of different programs. The most common is VobSub, which is a subtitle format for videos and DVDs. However, there are also many programs that use IDX files in database search operations. This wikiHow article teaches you how to open and edit IDX files and what programs they are associated with. We'll also teach you how to convert IDX files to other subtitle formats.

Ways to Open IDX Files

In most cases, you will need the program that created the file to open it. VobSub subtitles can be opened in VLC media player. You can use an online converter to convert IDX subtitles to other file types. You can also edit many IDX file types in a text editor, such as Notepad or TextEdit.

Section 1 of 4:

Using VLC

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1
Make sure the SUB and IDX files are stored in the same directory. VobSub ".idx" files also have an accompanying ".sub" file. The SUB file contains the images that are shown as subtitle text. The IDX file contains metadata that tells the media player where the text appears on screen, what color the text is, and when and what order to display the images in the SUB files. Both files need to be saved in the same directory.
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Download and install VLC media player. VLC is a free and open-source video player and converter. It can import VobSub subtitle files into a video. Use the following steps to download and install VLC:
- Navigate to VideoLAN's official website at www.videolan.org.
- Click Download.
- Open the installation file in your Downloads folder.
- Follow the prompts to complete the installation.
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Open VLC. Its icon is an orange traffic cone. Click the VLC icon in the Windows Start menu or the Applications folder on Mac.
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Open the video that the subtitles go with. In most cases, VobSub files require a video to which the subtitles apply. Use the following steps to open the video that the subtitles go with:
- Click Media in the file menu at the top of the app.
- Click Open File.
- Select the video file for the subtitles.
- Click Open.
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Import the IDX file. Use the following steps to import the IDX file:
- Click Subtitle in the menu bar at the top.
- Click Add subtitle file.
- Select the IDX file.
- Click Open.

Section 2 of 4:

Editing IDX Files

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Double-click on the IDX file. In some cases, this may open the original program the file is associated with, if the program is installed on your computer. Then you can use that program to edit the IDX file.
- If the IDX file fails to open, proceed to the next step.
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Find out what program the file is associated with. You can do this by looking at the file details. To do so, right-click the file and click Properties or Get Info. Review the details to determine what program the file is associated with.http://files.avanquest.com/file-extension-idx
- When you open the file in a text editor, you may be able to figure out what program the file is associated with by looking at the first characters of the file. The first characters often determine the type of file.
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Open the file in a text editor. You can use a text editor to edit and make changes to the IDX file. If it is a VobSub file, you can change the metadata and alter how the subtitles appear in a video. If it is an index file, you may be able to change the data it indexes. Use the following steps to open the IDX file:^{[1]
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- Right-click the IDX file.
- Click Open with.
- Select a text editor, such as Notepad or TextEdit.
  - You can also select an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) such as Visual Studio, NetBeans, or Sublime.
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Edit the IDX file. You can use a text editing program to add and edit the text contained within the file.
- Don't do this unless you know what you are doing. Changing IDX files could cause the program they're associated with to malfunction.
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Save the file. Use the following steps to do so:
- Click File in the menu bar at the top.
- Click Save.

Section 3 of 4:

Converting an IDX File

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Go to an online subtitle converter. Go to gotranscript.com/subtitle-converter in a web browser. You can use a subtitle converter to convert an IDX file to a PDF, plain text, or a more common subtitle format, such as SRT.
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Click Upload. It's the yellow button on the left side.
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Select your IDX file. Navigate to the IDX file and click it to select it. Then click Open.
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Select a format you want to convert the file to. Click the radio option next to the file you want type you want to convert the IDX file to.
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Click Convert. It's the yellow button on the right side. This uploads the file and starts converting it.
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Download the file. When the file finishes downloading, click the option to download it.

Section 4 of 4:

Frequently Asked Questions

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What programs are IDX files associated with? There are a variety of programs that use IDX files. They are most commonly used for database searches (index) files. The following are some programs that use IDX files:^{[2]
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- VobSub: This is the most common file type. These are subtitle files. These can be opened in VLC or another video player.
- Android: This is another very common IDX file type. Some versions of Android use IDX files to save thumbnail images from the Gallery. These are system files that you generally won't interact with.
- Alpha Anywhere: This is an application development environment that relies heavily on databases. The database files are IDX files.
- AOL Mail: AOL Mail uses IDX files to save indexes of its email database.
- ArcGIS: ArcGIS is a software suite that does geospatial mapping and data analysis. It saves its read-only datasets as IDX files that can be read as text.
- CA-Visual Objects: This is a discontinued software development environment for developing C++ apps. It saved application index files as IDX files, which can be opened as text files.
- Clip Gallery: This is a discontinued Microsoft utility that was part of an older version of Office. It saved the clip art indexes as IDX files, which can be viewed as text files.
- Complete Works: This is an old MS-DOS word processing program that saved index files as IDX files.
- Creo: Creo is industrial design and manufacturing software. It saves indexes as IDX files that can be viewed as text.
- ICQ: ICQ is an instant messaging application. It saves indexes as IDX files that can be viewed as text.
- Identity Manager: Identity Manager is a program by Broadcom that manages objects, users, groups, and permissions. It saves databases as IDX files.
- Java: Java is a programming language and development environment. It saves an applet's cache index as an IDX file.
- LaTeX: LaTeX is a program used for typesetting technical documents. It uses an IDX file to create an index of all files in a project. This can be viewed as a text file.
- Lyra: Lyra is a discontinued portable MP3 device. It uses IDX files to create an index of music track information, which can be viewed as a text file.
- Navteq: Navteq is a GPS navigation system used in various vehicles and devices. It saves map navigation data as an IDX file. These are system files you typically won't interact with.
- Nox: Nox is a discontinued Windows role-playing game. Various game data were saved as IDX files. You typically won't interact with these files outside the game.
- Outlook Express: Outlook Express saved mailbox data as an IDX file, which can be viewed as a text file.
- SINAPTIC STEP 7: This is a controller and development environment developed by Siemens. It saves all files in a project as an IDX file.
- Sublime: Sublime is a light-weight source-code editing program. It can be used to read IDX files from various programs as well as read plain text files.
- Toyota Touch: Toyota Touch is a navigation system built into the dashboard of some Toyota vehicles. It saves GPS navigation data as IDX files. These are system files you normally won't interact with.
- Visual FoxPro: This is a discontinued development environment and programming language. It saved database indexes as IDX files.
- WordPerfect: WordPerfect is a word processing application. The QuickFinder utility saves indexes of files as IDX files, which can be read as text files.
- World of Warcraft: World of Warcraft saves some game data as IDX files. You normally won't interact with these files outside the game.
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Why won't my IDX file open? In most cases, IDX files will fail to open on your computer if no programs are installed that can identify the file type. The most effective way to open an IDX file is to determine its origin and open it with the program that generated it. You can also try opening the file in a text editor, but this doesn't always work.
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Why can't I open an IDX file in a text editor? Not all IDX files can be viewed as text files. Some are database files or system files that require the program from which they originated.
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Can I download VobSub? Yes, you can download VobSub from www.videohelp.com/software/VobSub. It's free to download, but complicated to use.

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Tips

If you want to use an alternative third-party program to open IDX files, try using PowerDVD by Cyberlink. The application is not free at this time, but it does offer a 30-day free trial, during which you can use the program to open IDX files.

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