Extract text from Flatpak reference files (FLATPAKREF)
To convert FLATPAKREF references to another format, you need Flatpak or other System software.
To convert other file formats to the "Package Installer Reference" file type, you need software like Flatpak or a similar tool.
A .flatpakref file is a plain text configuration file used by the Flatpak package management utility for Linux. It acts as an installer pointer. It does not contain the actual software binary; instead, it holds the metadata, repository URL, branch information, and GPG keys required to securely download and install an application. You can process these files natively using the flatpak command-line tool or Linux software centers like GNOME Software and KDE Discover.
Users often mistakenly assume a .flatpakref file is a full offline installer, similar to an EXE or DEB. It is not. The primary disadvantage of this format is that it requires an active internet connection to fetch the actual application data from a remote repository, such as Flathub. Furthermore, because it is strictly tied to the Flatpak ecosystem, it cannot be converted directly into other Linux package formats like Snap or AppImage.
The best conversion targets for a .flatpakref file are plain text formats. Converting to TXT, JSON, or INI allows developers to extract repository URLs, application IDs, and security keys for auditing or automation scripts.
Because this file format is essentially an installation reference rather than a media or document file, it is difficult to 'convert' in the traditional sense. Standard online converters fail to process it because they expect binary application data. However, convert.guru can still identify the file format, inspect the file, and show text or internal content. Just drag and drop your file to identify the format, view the configuration data, and extract the text if supported.
Convert.Guru analyzes your FLATPAKREF file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted FLATPAK files.
If you want to convert FLATPAKREF file to , you can use Flatpak or similar software from the "Application Installation Reference" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert files to FLATPAKREF, try Flatpak or another comparable tool in the "Application Installation Reference" 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 FLATPAKREF converter.