What is the FMP12 file format?
The .fmp12 file format is the native database container used by Claris FileMaker Pro (formerly FileMaker, Inc., an Apple subsidiary), introduced with FileMaker Pro 12 in 2012 and still used by every version through Claris FileMaker 21 and beyond - the container format itself has not changed since its debut.
Files with the .fmp12 extension store complete databases and custom applications built in FileMaker. Unlike plain data exports, a single .fmp12 file is a self-contained package holding far more than records - it bundles:
- tables and fields (schema),
- all table records and data,
- custom layouts, forms, and reports,
- scripts, buttons, and business logic,
- value lists, relationships, and account/privilege settings,
- embedded or linked container data such as images, PDFs, and documents.
FileMaker Pro 12 gained popularity thanks to its comfortable user interface and support for mobile devices. A .fmp12 database is not only used for business applications, but also for time management (calendar functions), contact and address-book systems, invoice databases for small businesses, and project management (tracking progress, creating plans). All data and application logic generated in Claris FileMaker is saved within the same .fmp12 file.
Files can be shared across platforms - macOS, Windows, iOS/iPadOS via FileMaker Go, and through web browsers via FileMaker WebDirect - facilitating team collaboration, report sharing, and coordinating business workflows. The format replaced the older .fp7 container used by FileMaker 7-11; .fp7 files must be converted before any modern FileMaker version can open them. Optional AES-256 encryption (Encryption at Rest) can be applied to protect sensitive data at the file level.
Security & safety
RISK: MEDIUMAn .fmp12 is a full FileMaker solution and can contain scripts that run on open (including scripts that perform actions, send data, or run OS-level steps via plug-ins), so treat databases from untrusted sources with caution and review their scripts/triggers before enabling them. Beware fake "FMP12 viewer/opener" sites and converters in search results - there is no legitimate free desktop viewer, and many such sites bundle adware (PUP) or upload your data; use official Claris FileMaker or get an export from the database owner. Files may be password-protected or AES-256 encrypted; you need the credentials/encryption key, and no legitimate tool bypasses them.
Format details
in a nutshellPrograms that open FMP12 files
Windows1 app
Claris FileMaker Pro
Paid Open the .fmp12 directly (File > Open). The full authoring/runtime app; subscription or perpetual license. 
macOS1 app
Claris FileMaker Pro
Paid Double-click the .fmp12 to open it; create, edit and run FileMaker solutions. 
Linux1 app
Claris FileMaker Server
Paid Host the .fmp12 on Linux (Ubuntu) for multi-user access; clients connect with FileMaker Pro/Go/WebDirect. Not a desktop opener. 
FileMaker Go
Free Free on the App Store; open a local .fmp12 or connect to a hosted database to run the app on iPhone/iPad.
FileMaker WebDirect (via FileMaker Server)
Paid Run a hosted .fmp12 solution in a browser with no client install; requires FileMaker Server. Technical details
deep spec| Format type | Proprietary relational database and application container (binary, closed format) |
| Byte order | Big-endian |
| File signature | Binary header at offset 0; ASCII string "HBAM7" appears near the start, distinguishing FMP12 from the older .fp7 format which used "HBAM" |
| MIME type | application/x-filemaker (also application/x-fmp12) |
| Encryption | Optional AES-256 Encryption at Rest (EAR); introduced in FileMaker 13 and applicable to all .fmp12 files |
| Version compatibility | Introduced with FileMaker Pro 12 (2012); read and written unchanged by all later Claris FileMaker versions through 21+ |
| Typical file size | 1 MB to several GB; schema, all record data, scripts, layouts, and container objects are stored in a single file |
| Platform support | macOS, Windows, iOS/iPadOS (FileMaker Go), web browsers (WebDirect), Linux (FileMaker Server hosting) |
| Capacity limits | Up to approximately 8 TB per file; up to 100 million records per table (theoretical maxima) |
| Internal structure | Single-file block/chunk layout holding tables, fields, relationships, layouts, scripts, value lists, accounts, and all record data |
| Container fields | Can embed binary objects (images, audio, video, documents) directly in the file or store them externally with an internal reference |
| Predecessor format | .fp7 (FileMaker 7-11); .fp7 files require explicit conversion and cannot be opened directly by FileMaker 12 or later |
| File recovery | Built-in Recover command rebuilds a damaged file from internal block-level consistency data |
| Access control | Built-in account and privilege model with field-level, layout-level, and record-level security independent of the OS |
| Released | April 2012 (FileMaker Pro 12) |
| Latest version | Still current - used by Claris FileMaker 12 through 2024/2025 releases (unchanged container format) |
| Specification | www.claris.com |
FMP12 conversions
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