Extract text from Karaoke MIDI files (KAR)
To convert KAR Karaoke files to another format, you need KaraFun or other Audio software.
To convert other file formats to the "Karaoke Audio File" file type, you need software like KaraFun or a similar tool.
The .KAR file is a standard MIDI file designed specifically for karaoke. It contains instrumental audio tracks along with synchronized text data for lyrics. When played in compatible software like KaraFun, the lyrics display on-screen in time with the music. Other, much rarer uses for the .KAR extension include Knowledge Adventure Resource game data archives and Apache Karaf application archives.
While .KAR files are extremely lightweight because they store musical notes instead of recorded sound waves, they are heavily restricted by their format. They rely entirely on your computer's built-in MIDI synthesizer, meaning the same file can sound completely different - or terrible - depending on the playback device. Furthermore, most modern media players, smartphones, and web browsers cannot natively open .KAR files or display their embedded lyrics.
To make these files playable on everyday devices, conversion is essential. For broad audio compatibility, convert .KAR to MP3 or WAV. This "bakes" the audio into a standard format, ensuring consistent sound quality everywhere, though the on-screen lyrics will be lost. If you only want the raw instrumental data, convert to standard MID.
Convert.Guru analyzes your KAR file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted MID, MP3, MK1, ZIP, MIDI, RAR, RTX, MP4, LYR, SNG, KRA, CDG and PDF files.
If you want to convert KAR file to MIDI, MP3, MID, WAV, AAC, FLAC, OGG, WMA, M4A, AIFF, OPUS or ALAC, you can use KaraFun or similar software from the "Karaoke Audio and Lyrics" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert MIDI, AAC, TTA, AU, WV, DTS, MID, FLAC, RA, MP3, PCM or WAV files to KAR, try KaraFun or another comparable tool in the "Karaoke Audio and Lyrics" 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 KAR converter.