.Prn file is categorized as a page layout and it contains instructions required by a printer to function. The instructions include the printer tray to use, the paper size, the number of pages to print and the particular content to print.
This file can be created by choosing the “Print to File” link in the Print dialogue, either in a macOS or a Windows program. There is a similarity between PostScript files and PRN files.
The printer drivers create the format automatically after you must have issued a printing command. The process involved in creating the .prn is normally not visible, but the end users can easily intercept it e and keep it before the document is printed. You can then easily open the intercepted .prn using a different device; you do not even need the original application of the document.
This format can retain the exact details of how the images or documents should be printed can also be found useful in CorelDraw for the extraction and modification of the original files.
How to open .prn files
The .prn file can be printed in Mac OS X by simply dragging the particular file to the desktop printer icon. The files can be printed in Windows Operating System by simply right-clicking on the file and then selecting the “Microsoft Office Document Imaging” tab. Not all the versions of Microsoft Office Document Imaging support the .prn.
You can equally open the file through the command line on Windows. All you have to do is to select “Run” from your computer’s Start menu, then type “cmd” after which you can then go ahead with the opening.
Furthermore, the file can be opened using a text editor like Apple TextEdit or Microsoft Notepad. The file will then automatically store the text you want to print in the form of a plain text.
However, the printing instructions will consist of printer codes that should never be modified to prevent any form of a printer error.
The programs that can be used to open .prn files depend on your computer operating system. If you are using a Windows operating system, you can use any of the programs highlighted below:
- ACD Systems Canvas 2019
- Microsoft Windows Command Prompt
- AllWeb FastPrint
- The compatible printer driver that can interpret the .prn files
- Free Raw Print (FRP)
If you are using the Mac operating system, on the other hand, you can use the following programs to open the .prn file:
- The compatible printer driver that can interpret the .prn.
- Drag to the desktop printer icon.
.prn files can be opened on different versions of the Windows Operating System, like Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10. It can also be opened on different versions of the Mac Operating System, like macOS 10.12, macOS 10.13 and macOS 10.14.
Furthermore, .prn files can be opened using CorelDraw. First, launch CorelDraw on your computer and choose File, then Open. Look for the it, select the file, edit and save it.