EMF file format
| Extension | .emf |
| Category | images |
| Programs | Microsoft Word QuarkXPress |
| Main program | Microsoft Publisher |
| Description | The Enhanced Metafile (EMF) file system began its evolution when Microsoft introduced the Windows Metafile (WMF) format in the 1992 documentation of the Windows 3.1 Operating System. The WMF format was used to store graphical drawing collections, a type unique to Windows positional graphics. However, due to significant compatibility issues, WMF was upgraded to EMF in the Windows NT 3.1 update. EMF formats store colored graphical data using the RGB color scheme, with CMYK not being supported. Nowadays, the EMF format is integrated into driver software for printers, assisting PCs in communicating graphical data to printers that are installed. |
| Technical details | Unlike the 16-bit WMF format, EMF supports a wider device communication channel – 32-bit. Files with .emf extensions allow for cross-compatibility between technologies that support vector graphics or raster graphics alone. EMF documents not only store data, but also include instructions on how to handle the constituent data. |
| MIME type | application/emf application/x-emf image/x-emf image/x-mgx-emf image/x-xbitmap |