Extract text from Unreal Engine texture caches (TFC)
To convert TFC texture caches to another format, you need Unreal Engine or other Game software.
To convert other file formats to the "Texture Cache Archive" file type, you need software like Unreal Engine or a similar tool.
A .tfc file is primarily a Texture File Cache used by Unreal Engine 3. It functions as a massive bulk storage archive that holds high-resolution texture data (mipmaps) for 3D games. Game engines use these cache files to stream textures into system memory on demand, which vastly improves level load times and reduces memory spikes. Other minor uses for the .tfc extension include game texture caches for the EA SAGE game engine, encrypted settings profiles for Tikfinity, and compiled music modules for TFM Music Maker.
Because .tfc files are proprietary game data archives rather than standard image files, you cannot open them with typical image viewers like Windows Photos or Photoshop. Modders and data miners typically rely on specialized community-built extraction tools like Umodel (UE Viewer) or UPK Extractor to view and unpack the internal textures.
Users usually need to convert .tfc files when they want to extract character skins, environment textures, or UI elements for modding or archival. The main disadvantage of this format is its closed, game-specific nature. Files often exceed gigabytes in size, and the raw GPU data inside is heavily compressed or permanently tied to specific upk (Unreal Package) files. You cannot simply double-click a .tfc file to view the images inside.
When extracting these textures, the best target format is DDS (DirectDraw Surface) to retain the original GPU compression headers and mipmap levels. For casual viewing, converting the extracted data to standard PNG or TGA formats is recommended, though this will strip away game-specific rendering data.
This file format is difficult to open or convert because it is a closed, proprietary binary archive. Standard online image converters fail completely because they expect a single flat image, not a massive cache of scattered texture blocks. If our analysis detects standard embedded textures inside the cache, viewing or extraction may still be possible.
Convert.Guru analyzes your TFC file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted TFCMAPPING, JSON, 22, DUP and UDPF files.
If you want to convert TFC file to JPG, PDF, PNG, GIF, BMP, TIFF, TIF, WEBP, ICO, CUR, PSD or PSB, you can use Unreal Engine or similar software from the "Game Texture Streaming Cache" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert RAW, PNG, AI, NEF, PSB, DNG, SVG, GIF, EPS, JPG, ARW or PDF files to TFC, try Unreal Engine or another comparable tool in the "Game Texture Streaming Cache" 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 TFC converter.