What is the 360 file format?
.360 is a proprietary panoramic wallpaper container used by 360desktop, a Windows application from around 2007-2008 that displayed wide-angle panoramic images as scrolling desktop backgrounds. The format likely wraps standard .jpg or PNG imagery with application-specific metadata, but its internal structure was never publicly documented.
360desktop allowed users to browse and download community-created panoramic scenes that would slowly drift across the desktop as a live wallpaper effect. Files use wide aspect ratios - typically 4:1 to 8:1 - to accommodate the 360-degree horizontal sweep. Color depth is 24-bit RGB, consistent with standard JPEG panoramic source material.
The software targeted Windows XP and Windows Vista and was abandoned around 2008 with no compatibility with Windows 7 or later. No official developer website has survived, and the format has no currently maintained software support. Underlying image data may be recoverable by scanning a .360 file for JPEG (FF D8 FF) or PNG (89 50 4E 47) magic byte sequences.
Modern 360-degree and panoramic wallpaper applications use standard image formats (.jpg, .png, .hdr) directly. Apps such as Wallpaper Engine support equirectangular panoramas natively without a proprietary container. The .360 extension is effectively a dead format tied to abandoned software.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWInert image/video container; no execution risk. The main risk is downloading the original 360desktop installer from unknown third-party mirror sites which may bundle malware - avoid unofficial download sites for this abandoned software.
Format details
in a nutshell- Garmin GPS track/activity file - Some Garmin devices and software (older Forerunner models) use .360 for fitness activity files - unrelated to panoramic images.
- 360-degree video file - Some 360° cameras and VR platforms informally use .360 as a container for equirectangular video (often actually MP4/MKV inside); not a standardized format.
Programs that open 360 files
Windows1 app
360desktop
Free The original 360desktop application (Windows XP/Vista only). No longer available from an official source; abandonware. Does not run reliably on Windows 7+. Technical details
deep spec| Format type | Proprietary panoramic image/wallpaper container |
| Underlying image data | Likely JPEG or PNG (exact wrapping undocumented) |
| Color depth | 24-bit RGB (consistent with JPEG panoramic source material) |
| Panoramic aspect ratio | Typically 4:1 to 8:1 (360-degree horizontal sweep) |
| Internal compression | Unknown; likely JPEG compression internally |
| Byte order | Unknown (format entirely undocumented) |
| Typical file size | 1 MB - 20 MB |
| Operating system support | Windows XP, Windows Vista only |
| Software status | Abandoned ~2008; no Windows 7+ compatibility |
| Magic bytes | Not publicly documented; no confirmed file header signature |
| Format documentation | Undocumented - no public specification exists for the internal structure |
| Image recovery | Underlying data may be extractable by scanning for JPEG (`FF D8 FF`) or PNG (`89 50 4E 47`) magic bytes |
| Released | c. 2007-2008 |
| Latest version | Unknown; last 360desktop release c. 2008 (Vista-era) |
360 conversions
Community Q&A
asked by usersNo questions yet - be the first to ask about 360 files.
