APR Converter

Extract text from APR files

Select File
Drop or upload your .APR file

Online File Converter

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How to extract text from your APR file

Click the "Select File" button above, and choose your APR file.
You’ll see a preview, if available.
Click the "Convert file to..." button to extract text information.

Convert APR to another file type

To convert your APR file to another format, you need Lotus SmartSuite or other Data software.

Convert a file to APR

To convert other file formats to the "Legacy Project Files" file type, you need software like Lotus SmartSuite or a similar tool.

About APR files

The .apr extension acts as a "container of ambiguity," utilized by over a dozen distinct software ecosystems, creating significant friction for users trying to open old files. Most commonly, it represents a Lotus Approach View File (part of the discontinued Lotus SmartSuite) or an ArcView Project File (a legacy GIS format by Esri). It is also a standard extension for Gerber Aperture lists in PCB manufacturing and ActivePresenter projects.

Common Conversion Challenges:
The primary disadvantage of .apr files is their reliance on obsolete software environments. Lotus Approach files are often just "views" (forms/reports) that link to external data (often DBF files); without the linked data and the original 1990s software, the .apr file is often unreadable. Similarly, ArcView 3.x project files are text-based pointers to spatial data (Shapefiles); they do not contain the map data itself, meaning converting the .apr without the source folders results in empty errors. Users also frequently confuse these with ActivePresenter projects, which are proprietary binary files that cannot be opened by database or GIS tools.

Best Conversion Targets:

For Database (Lotus): If data is recoverable, convert to CSV or XLSX for import into Microsoft Excel or modern SQL databases.
For GIS (ArcView): Import legacy projects into ArcGIS Pro to modernize the workflow, or print layouts to PDF for static archiving.
For PCB (Gerber): Convert aperture lists to DXF or PDF to review circuit designs in standard CAD software like AutoCAD.
For Presentation: Export ActivePresenter projects directly to MP4 video or HTML5 for web publishing.

Convert.Guru analyzes your APR file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.

Users also converted BOT, ARP, LDP, GBR, ZIP, RAR, ABR, XLSX, PDF, WFP, RFA, APK and XAPK files.

FAQ

If you want to convert APR file to EAR, SHP, KML, KMZ, GPX, GEOJSON, TOPOJSON, TIF, TIFF, ECW, SID or IMG, you can use Lotus SmartSuite or similar software from the "Legacy Project & Configuration Data" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….

To convert LAZ, KMZ, DTM, CSV, DEM, PRJ, LAS, GPX, DSM, SHP, DBF or KML files to APR, try Lotus SmartSuite or another comparable tool in the "Legacy Project & Configuration Data" category.

The APR Converter Story

The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our APR converter.