Extract text from PGP keys and raster files (ASC)
To convert ASC keys and rasters to another format, you need GnuPG or other Text software.
To convert other file formats to the "ASCII Encoded Data File" file type, you need software like GnuPG or a similar tool.
The .asc (ASCII) file extension is a highly overloaded format primarily used for PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) ASCII Armored files and ESRI Geospatial ASCII raster grids. In the context of encryption, GnuPG and OpenPGP use .asc files to safely transmit binary keys or encrypted messages over text-based protocols like email. By encoding binary data into printable ASCII characters via Base64, it prevents corruption during network transit. In the GIS field, ESRI ArcGIS uses .asc files to store raster data (like elevation models) in a human-readable text format. Other niche uses include LTspice circuit schematics, spectroscopy data, and CAN bus data logs.
The primary disadvantage of an .asc file is its dependency on specialized software. You cannot natively decrypt a PGP .asc file on Windows or macOS without installing a PGP keychain. Similarly, ESRI ASCII grids are massive, inefficient plain-text files that load slowly, consume excess disk space, and cannot be viewed as images in standard web browsers.
To make these files usable, you must process or convert them. For encrypted messages, you must decrypt the .asc into its original format (e.g., PDF, DOCX). For GIS data, convert the ASCII grid to a .GeoTIFF or PNG for fast visualization, or CSV for data analysis. Just drag and drop your file here to analyze and convert it - convert.guru acts as a fast, pragmatic workaround to identify your .asc file's true origin and securely convert it to a modern format right in your browser.
Convert.Guru analyzes your ASC file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted ACS, PGP, ZIP, TXT, ROZ, SP, RAS, KEY, ASC 2, PDF, RAW, XML and NGB-ST9 files.
If you want to convert ASC file to CSV, PDF, GPG, STL, PEM, PPK, TXT, PGP, DWG, DXF, DGN or RVT, you can use GnuPG or similar software from the "PGP Encryption & GIS Data" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert SLDASM, DGN, PRT, IAM, X_B, CATPRODUCT, SLDPRT, RVT, ASM, DWG, CATPART or DXF files to ASC, try GnuPG or another comparable tool in the "PGP Encryption & GIS Data" category.
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 ASC converter.