How To Open CAL File | .Cal File Viewer Tools

By Sruthy

By Sruthy

Sruthy, with her 10+ years of experience, is a dynamic professional who seamlessly blends her creative soul with technical prowess. With a Technical Degree in Graphics Design and Communications and a Bachelor’s Degree in Electronics and Communication, she brings a unique combination of artistic flair…

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Updated February 2, 2026

In this guide, I’ll explain how to open CAL file on Windows and Mac and which CAL file viewer tools work best. This guide will help you open CAL file Step-by-step using the best CAL file viewers quickly and easily.

A .CAL file can be confusing if you’re not sure which program supports it. These files may be used by different applications, so opening them isn’t always straightforward. These files carry information and data related to the programs that created the file.

In this tutorial, we are going to discuss what is .CAL file, how to open it with the help of various applications, step-by-step.

How To Open CAL File

What Is A .CAL File

cal-file

A .CAL file is a data file used by certain applications to store calendar-related or configuration information, depending on the software that created it.

Most commonly, CAL files are associated with older or specialized calendar programs, where they contain scheduled events, dates, or reminders.

However, some applications also use .CAL files for custom settings or internal data, which means the file may not open correctly unless you use the exact program it was created with.

This file extension is also used for:

  • CALS Raster Group 1 image format files
  • CALS Raster Group 4 fax compressed bitmap files
  • CyberAudioLibrary link files
  • Daqarta extended audio data files
  • SuperCalc Worksheet files

How To Open A CAL File

Opening a .CAL file can be tricky because it may be linked to different applications and formats. The right way to open it depends on which program created the file and your operating system. So you need a suitable application to open a CAL file.

In this section, I’ll walk through simple and safe ways to open a CAL file using compatible tools on Windows and Mac.

#1) Adobe Photoshop CS6

Adobe-Photoshop-cs6

[image source]

CALS files associated with Cals raster image can be opened using Adobe Photoshop CS6. It is compatible with both Windows and Mac OS X.

  • Go to the .cal file.
  • Right-click on it.
  • Select ‘Open With’.
  • Select Adobe Photoshop CS6 from the options.
  • If you are unable to find it in the list of the programs, click on ‘Choose Default Program’
  • Select Adobe Photoshop CS6 and click OK.

Or,

  • Launch Adobe Photoshop CS6.
  • Click on Files.
Click on Files
  • Select ‘Open’.
open file
  • Go to the .cal file you want to open.
  • Select it.
  • Click on Open.

You can also open this type of file with CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X6 and ACD Systems Canvas 14 for Windows.

#2) Calendar File

Follow the below steps:

  • Find and download the Calendar File.
  • Navigate to the .cal file you want to open.
  • Double-click on the file and it should open with the calendar file.

Or

  • Right-click on the .cal file.
  • Select ‘Open With’.
  • Select Calendar from the options.
  • If you are unable to find it in the list of the programs, click on ‘Choose Default Program’.
  • Select the calendar and click OK.

#3) Cals Raster

Cals Raster

[image source]

To open .cal file with Cals Raster, follow the steps below:

  • Navigate to the .cal file you want to open.
  • Right-click on the .cal file.
  • Select ‘Open With’.
  • Select Cals Raster from the options.
  • If you are unable to find it in the list of the programs, click on ‘Choose Default Program’.
  • Select Cals Raster and click OK.

Or,

  • Launch Cals Raster.
  • Click on Open Folder.
  • Go to the .cal file you want to open.
  • Select it.
  • Click on Open.

#4) Print Shop

Print Shop

[image source]

If you use Windows or Mac OS X and the .cal files are associated with Print Shop, you can easily open them with this application.

  • Navigate to the .cal file you want to open.
  • Right-click on it.
  • Select ‘Open With’.
  • Select Print Shop from the options.
  • If you are unable to find it in the list of the programs, click on ‘Choose Default Program’.
  • Select Print Shop and click OK.

Or,

  • Launch Print Shop.
  • Click on ‘Open Folder’.
Open Folder

[image source]

  • Go to the .cal file you want to open.
  • Select it.
  • Click on Open.

#5) 3ds Max

3ds Max

[image source]

You can download this application from the AutoDesk website and it is compatible with Windows XP and higher versions.

  • Go to the .cal file and right-click on it.
  • Select ‘Open With’ and you will see a list of applications.
  • Select 3ds Max from the options.
  • If you are unable to find it in the list of the programs, click on ‘Choose Default Program’.
  • Select 3ds Max and click OK.

Or,

  • Launch 3ds Max.
  • Click on Files and select ‘Open’
Click on Files and select 'Open’
  • Go to the .cal file you want to open.
  • Click on it and hit Open.

#6) Microsoft Word

Microsoft-Word

[image source]

If the .cal file is associated with Cakewalk, you can open the file with Microsoft Word or any text editing program like WordPad, Notepad, Apple TextEdit, TextMate, OpenOffice Writer, etc.

  • Open MS Word.
  • Click on the Office Icon.
Office Icon
  • Select Open
select open
  • Find the CAL file you want to open.
  • Click on it and hit Open.

Or,

  • Go to the .cal file and right-click on it.
  • Select ‘Open With’ and you will see a list of applications.
  • Select Microsoft Word from the options.
  • If you are unable to find it in the list of the programs, click on ‘Choose Default Program’.
  • Select Microsoft Word and click OK.

#7) File Convertor

File Converter

If you are unable to open a Cal File with any of the programs, you can convert them to other file formats. To convert cal file to pdf, or any other format, you can use websites like Zamzar or Online Convert. Open the website, select the file you want to convert and the format you want to convert it into. Upload the file and click on convert.

#8) Universal File Viewer

universal viewer

You can use cal file viewer like Universal Viewer, File Viewer Plus, or any other universal file viewer.

  • Download the program.
Download the program
  • Click on Files
  • Select Open
open recent
  • Go to the CAL file you want to view.
  • Select it.
  • Hit Open.

You should be able to view the file now.

#9) Autocad

autocad

[image source]

To Open .cal files in Autocad, follow these steps:

  • Launch Autocad.
  • Navigate to the menu bar.
show menubar

[image source]

  • Go to Insert.
insert
  • Click on raster image.

Or,

  • Go to raster tools and click on insert.
raster tools
  • Browse the .cal file you want to open.
  • Open the file.
  • Select the scale to 1.
Select the scale

[image source]

  • Uncheck the specified on-screen box.
  • Select the location you want to put the image to.

You should be able to view the file now.

Frequently Asked Questions

1) What is a CAL file extension?

It is for the Calendar schedule data file, for the SuperCalc, and also for the CALS Compressed Bitmap.

2) Can I open a .cal file with Autocad?

Yes, you can. From the menu, select insert, go to raster image, select the cal file, set the scale to 1 and you will be able to see the file on Autocad.

3) Can I convert a CAL file to any other format?

Yes, it can be converted to PDF, JPG, TIFF, DXF, and DWG, using conversion tools like reaConverter, pdfFiller, and CoolUtils

4) How to view .cal file?

To view a .CAL file, first try opening it with the program that created it, such as a calendar or related application. If you’re unsure, you can test it with a text editor like Notepad++ or VS Code to see if it’s readable. For calendar-based CAL files, older calendar apps or compatible viewer tools may also work.

5) How to convert cal file to pdf?

You usually can’t directly convert a .CAL file to PDF unless it opens in a compatible program. First, open the CAL file in the application that supports it (such as a calendar or related tool). Then use the program’s Print → Save as PDF option. If the file won’t open, conversion isn’t possible because many CAL files are app-specific and not meant to be converted.

6) What are the free Cal file viewers?

Here are free ways to view a .CAL file, in short:
Online CAL file viewers (like FileProInfo or similar tools) for quick browser-based viewing
Notepad++ or VS Code if the file is text-based
Older calendar apps (depending on how the CAL file was created)
If none work, the file usually needs the original program that created it.

Conclusion

It is always suggested that you open a file with the program they are associated with. For a CAL file, you can use a Calendar or Cals Raster. Apart from that, Print Shop and Adobe Photoshop cs6 are the best programs for opening a .cal file. However, the easiest way is to convert it into another readable format.

Whatever you do, make sure you make a copy of the file and work on it because any change in the cal file can render the program it is associated with useless.

Research Process:

  • We put this guide together by checking official documentation, trying out common CAL file viewer tools on both Windows and Mac, and seeing how different apps actually handle.CAL files in real situations, so the steps here are practical and easy to follow.
  • Total CAL file viewers researched: 15
  • Total CAL file viewers shortlisted: 9
  • Total Time taken to test, review and publish this guide: 40 Hours (Approx)

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