CWD Converter

Extract text from Game archives and databases (CWD)

Select File
Drop or upload your .CWD file

Online File Converter

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How to extract text from your CWD file

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

Convert CWD to another file type

To convert CWD Archives to another format, you need CRIWARE or other Game software.

Convert a file to CWD

To convert other file formats to the "Asset Archive" file type, you need software like CRIWARE or a similar tool.

About CWD files

A .cwd file is typically a proprietary data container, most frequently serving as a Game Asset Archive for titles powered by CRI Middleware (such as Spelunker HD Deluxe). These files act as uncompressed or compressed distinct file systems, locking away audio streams (ADX), video files (Sofdec), and texture assets to prevent easy user access. Gamers and modders commonly encounter problems because .cwd files are opaque binary blobs; you cannot simply double-click to view the assets, nor can standard archival tools like 7-Zip open them without specific scripts.

Less commonly, a .cwd file may be a legacy database file generated by SoftVelocity Clarion, a 4GL programming environment. In this context, the file holds structured records that are inaccessible outside the Clarion IDE or specific database drivers.

Best Conversion Targets:

For Game Audio: Extract the archive using QuickBMS, then convert the resulting ADX files to WAV or MP3 for playback.
For Game Textures: Extract and convert internal raster data to PNG or TGA for editing in Adobe Photoshop.
For Databases: Export the table data to CSV or SQL for migration to modern systems like MySQL or Excel.

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

Users also converted CDW, DWG, CWB, XB, SS2 and AHX files.

FAQ

If you want to convert CWD file to TXT, RTF, DOC, DOCX, ODT, PAGES, TEX, LATEX, MD, MARKDOWN, LOG or NFO, you can use CRIWARE or similar software from the "Game Asset Storage" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….

To convert PDF, DOC, ASC, TODO, NFO, MEMO, README, DOCX, JPG, TXT, NOTE or RTF files to CWD, try CRIWARE or another comparable tool in the "Game Asset Storage" category.

The CWD 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 CWD converter.