How to Open a CHM File on PC or Mac

PDF download Download Article
PDF download Download Article

This wikiHow teaches you how to use any web browser to open and view the contents of a CHM help file. CHM files are compressed HTML files with text, images, hyperlinks and other content. They usually contain help documentation and manuals.

Steps

PDF download Download Article
  1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/1\/18\/Open-a-CHM-File-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Open-a-CHM-File-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/1\/18\/Open-a-CHM-File-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-1.jpg\/aid11102854-v4-728px-Open-a-CHM-File-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":348,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":550,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    Locate the CHM file you want to open on your computer, and right-click on the file icon to open the context menu.
  2. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/4d\/Open-a-CHM-File-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Open-a-CHM-File-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/4d\/Open-a-CHM-File-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-2.jpg\/aid11102854-v4-728px-Open-a-CHM-File-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":349,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":552,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    This will open a list of apps on a sub-menu.
    • If you don't see a web browser on the "Open with" menu, click Other or Choose a different app at the bottom. This will allow you to select from the full list of all your apps.
    Advertisement
  3. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/7f\/Open-a-CHM-File-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Open-a-CHM-File-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/7f\/Open-a-CHM-File-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-3.jpg\/aid11102854-v4-728px-Open-a-CHM-File-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":346,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":548,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    You can use any browser like Firefox, Safari or Chrome to open the file. Once selected, the contents of the CHM file will appear.
    • You can browse the documentation in the CHM file like you would a regular website.
    4. Advertisement


Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

      Expert Interview

      Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about computer programming, check out our in-depth interview with Kevin Burnett .

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Open BIN Files
      How to
      Use Winrar to Fix Corrupted RAR and ZIP Archives
      How to Extract a GZ File on Windows, Linux, Mac, & Mobile
      4 Simple Ways to Scan and Save Documents
      How to
      Open DLL Files
      How to
      Compress Large Files
      How to
      Install APK Files on Android
      How to
      Open a DAT File
      How to
      Open TMP Files
      3 Quick Ways to Convert a DOC or DOCX File to a JPEG
      How to Transfer Files to an SD Card on Android
      How to
      Insert a Multiple Page PDF Into a Word Document
      How to
      Clear up Unnecessary Files on Your PC
      How to Use 7-Zip to Compress Files to the Smallest Size
      Advertisement

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Find and right-click the CHM file.
      2. Hover over Open with .
      3. Select an internet browser like Firefox or Safari.
      4. View the CHM file's contents in your browser.

      Did this summary help you?
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 65,875 times.

      Is this article up to date?

      Advertisement