Click the "Select File" button above, and choose your LYR file.
You’ll see a preview, if available.
Click the "Convert file to..." button to extract text information.
Convert LYR to another file type
To convert LYR layer files to another format, you need ArcGIS Pro or other GIS software.
Convert a file to LYR
To convert other file formats to the "Map Styling Configuration" file type, you need software like ArcGIS Pro or a similar tool.
About LYR files
An ArcGIS Layer file (.LYR) saves the symbology, labeling, and rendering instructions for geographic data in ArcGIS software. It acts as a set of rules that tells a map how to display underlying shapefiles or geodatabases. You can primarily open this file with Esri ArcGIS or its modern successor, ArcGIS Pro. The biggest limitation of a .LYR file is that it does not contain actual spatial data, only visual settings. It is also a closed, proprietary format based on the Microsoft Compound structure. It cannot be directly imported into open-source GIS platforms like QGIS without specialized tools. Modern ArcGIS Pro uses a newer JSON-based format called .LYRX, making older .LYR files less desirable for long-term storage. You usually need to convert .LYR to .LYRX for modern Esri environments, or to .QML (QGIS Style) and .SLD (Styled Layer Descriptor) for open-source interoperability. Be aware that complex proprietary symbology might not translate perfectly to open standards. Because this file format is difficult to open or convert, standard online converters often fail to process it. Emphasize that often only the original software can properly read or export the data. If our analysis detects a supported underlying or embedded format, viewing or conversion may still be possible.
Convert.Guru analyzes your LYR file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
If you want to convert LYR file to SHP, SLD, QML, KMZ, KML, TIFF, DWG, DXF, DGN, RVT, RFA or SKP, you can use ArcGIS Pro or similar software from the "Geographic Data Styling Storage" 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 LYR, try ArcGIS Pro or another comparable tool in the "Geographic Data Styling Storage" category.
The LYR 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 LYR converter.