What is the FETCHMIRROR file format?
A .fetchmirror file is a saved settings document created by Fetch, the FTP, SFTP, and FTPS client for macOS made by Fetch Softworks. Fetch has a Mirror feature that copies new or changed files between a folder on your Mac and a folder on a remote server, in either direction. That is a common way to keep a website current or to back up a folder to a server.
When you set up a Mirror window and press Save, Fetch writes the configuration into a .fetchmirror document. The file records the local folder path, the remote folder path, the host, the username, the sync direction, and whether stray items at the destination should be deleted. It does not store your password. If a connection needs one, Fetch asks for it or reads it from the macOS Keychain. Under the hood the file is an Apple property list, the same key-value format macOS uses for .plist settings, so its contents are structured rather than a flat binary blob.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWA .fetchmirror file is a small settings document, not an executable, and it does not contain passwords. The main caution is that it stores host names, usernames, and folder paths in readable form, so treat it as mildly sensitive and avoid sharing it publicly. It only does anything when opened in Fetch on a Mac.
Format details
in a nutshellPrograms that open FETCHMIRROR files
macOS3 apps
Fetch
Paid Double-click the .fetchmirror file in the Finder, or choose File > Open in Fetch, to load the saved mirror settings and run or review the sync. 
Xcode (Property List Editor)
Free Open the .fetchmirror document to inspect the raw plist keys such as the local and remote paths, host, and user, without running Fetch.
plutil (command line)
Built-in Run plutil -p file.fetchmirror in Terminal to print the stored settings, or plutil -convert xml1 to convert a binary plist to readable XML. Technical details
deep spec| Encoding | Apple property list (binary bplist00 or XML) |
| Byte order | N/A (structured plist, not a flat binary stream) |
| Container | macOS property list document |
| Encryption | None; passwords are not stored in the file. Credentials are kept in the macOS Keychain and requested at mirror time. |
| Typical size | A few kilobytes |
| Structure | A property list dictionary holding the settings from a Fetch Mirror window: the local folder path, the remote folder path, the host, the username, the transfer direction, and the option to delete stray items at the destination. Folder references are stored as macOS bookmark or alias data so they survive if a folder is moved. |
| Integrity | None built in; integrity relies on the underlying plist being well formed. |
| Platforms | macOS, OS X, Classic Mac OS |
| Notes | Created with the Save button in Fetch's Mirror window. Double-clicking the document reopens the saved settings; Fetch can be set to start mirroring immediately or just populate the Mirror window for a manual start. |
| Released | 2000s (Fetch 5.x era) |
| Latest version | Used through Fetch 5.8.x (2023) |
| Specification | fetchsoftworks.com |
FETCHMIRROR conversions
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