Extract text from API keys or cartridges (P8)
To convert P8 files to another format, you need Apple Developer or other Developer software.
To convert other file formats to the "Authentication Key File" file type, you need software like Apple Developer or a similar tool.
A .P8 file is fundamentally a text-based file, predominantly used as an API authentication private key for Apple Developer services. These files allow developers to securely authenticate with systems like the Apple Push Notification service (APNs). Alternatively, the .P8 extension is used as a source code and game cartridge file for the PICO-8 fantasy console, storing Lua code, sprites, and audio. Generically, it may also represent a PKCS#8 private key managed by OpenSSL.
To open or inspect .P8 files, users can rely on simple text editors like VS Code or command-line tools like OpenSSL. PICO-8 files require the official Lexaloffle console software to actually execute the game data.
Users frequently need to convert Apple .P8 keys because legacy servers, firewalls, and third-party push services often strictly require PEM or P12 formats. The main disadvantage of the .P8 format in cryptography is its rigid formatting; a single misplaced space or carriage return invalidates the entire key. For PICO-8 developers, the text-based .P8 format is excellent for version control but lacks the instant, standalone shareability of compiled web formats.
The most reliable conversion targets are PEM or P12 for authentication keys, and HTML or PNG (steganographic cartridge) for PICO-8 games. Standard online converters usually fail with these files because cryptography requires exact mathematical transformations, while PICO-8 uses a proprietary memory mapping for its assets.
This file format is difficult to process universally because it serves entirely unrelated purposes - highly sensitive cryptography versus retro game logic. 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 P8 file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted P12, TXT, PEM, PNG and P7 files.
If you want to convert P8 file to , you can use Apple Developer or similar software from the "API Authentication Private Key" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert files to P8, try Apple Developer or another comparable tool in the "API Authentication Private Key" 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 P8 converter.