The .ase extension names two unrelated things: an Aseprite pixel-art sprite and an Adobe Swatch Exchange colour palette. Aseprite was originally called the Allegro Sprite Editor, the source of the “ase” in its file extension. An Aseprite file preserves the full project state - colour mode, layers, frames, palette, tags and slices - in one binary file. Analyser handles .ASE alongside related formats such as .Aseprite.

How do I open a .ASE file?

Drop a .ASE file onto Analyser at https://analyser.valjdakosta.com/ and it opens directly in your browser - no upload, no account and no software to install. Open Aseprite and LibreSprite pixel-art sprites (.aseprite / .ase) in the browser. Every frame is composited from the layer stack - these files store only the cels that changed, plus links back to earlier frames, so a frame has to be assembled rather than simply read - and the animation plays at the per-frame durations the file carries, not a single frame rate. Shows the layer tree with each layer’s blend mode, opacity and visibility, the named animation tags with their loop direction, and the canvas, colour depth and palette. Any frame can be saved as a PNG. RGBA, grayscale and indexed sprites are all decoded.

Can I open a .ASE file online for free?

Yes. Analyser is a free online .ASE opener and viewer that runs entirely in your browser - your .ASE file never leaves your device, so there is nothing to upload and no software to install. It even works offline once installed.

.ASE file - what it is and how to open it online

Analyse a .ASE file

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What is a .ASE file?

The .ase extension names two unrelated things: an Aseprite pixel-art sprite and an Adobe Swatch Exchange colour palette.

Aseprite sprite

What it is: An Aseprite (or LibreSprite) pixel-art sprite - layered, animated artwork saved by the pixel editor. Analyser composites each frame from its layer stack and plays the animation at the per-frame timings the file carries, alongside the layer tree and the animation tags.
How to tell it apart: An Aseprite sprite carries the magic number 0xA5E0 in its fifth and sixth bytes.

Adobe Swatch Exchange palette

What it is: An Adobe Swatch Exchange palette - the colour swatches shared between Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. Analyser identifies it and reads its version and group structure.
How to tell it apart: A swatch file begins with the ASCII signature ASEF.

Did you know: Analyser handles .ASE alongside related formats such as .Aseprite.
In Analyser's format library, .ASE sits in the System & disk category.
Analyser opens .ASE files right in your browser - they are parsed and rendered on your device, never uploaded to a server.
Open a .ASE file: Drag a .ASE file onto the Analyser home page (or tap to pick one). It opens entirely in your browser - nothing is uploaded, there is no account, and it works offline once installed.
Related formats: .Aseprite. See all supported file types.