What is the GP file format?
Guitar Pro projects are saved as files with the .gp extension as of version 7 of this software. .gp is a proprietary file format developed by Arobas Music - the company behind Guitar Pro, a cross-platform application for composing music and creating guitar tablatures, available for Windows and macOS. Internally, .gp files are ZIP-based containers: each file begins with the standard PK signature and holds an XML score document at Content/score.gpif alongside metadata and preview assets. Older versions of Guitar Pro used related formats: .gpx (version 6, a different BCFZ/BCFS proprietary container), and earlier releases used .gtp, .gp3, .gp4, and .gp5 extensions.
Contents of Guitar Pro .gp files
The earliest versions of Guitar Pro allowed users to edit tablatures and did not offer any advanced features. .gp files introduced in version 7 can hold more complex data, including:
- guitar, bass, drum, or piano sheet music and tablature,
- one or multiple audio backing tracks,
- metadata - information such as title, artist, tempo, time signature, key signature, and playback settings.
The .gp format was introduced in 2017 alongside Guitar Pro 7. Guitar Pro 8, released in 2022, continues to use the .gp format as its default project file.
GP compatibility with Guitar Pro software
Different versions of Guitar Pro are not fully compatible with each other regarding file formats; however, newer versions offer options to import older files. Guitar Pro 8 allows users to export projects to other file formats, including MIDI, audio formats such as MP3 and WAV, and PDF or PNG for notation printing.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWA .gp file is notation data inside a ZIP container - it cannot run code, so opening one in Guitar Pro, MuseScore or TuxGuitar is safe. The only practical caution: download tabs from reputable sources, and beware files with a double extension (song.gp.exe) which would be an executable in disguise, not a tab.
Format details
in a nutshellPrograms that open GP files
Windows3 apps
TuxGuitar
Open-source Open the .gp to view tab and play it back; free, lightweight, made specifically for Guitar Pro-style tablature. 
Guitar Pro 8
Paid Open the .gp directly - Guitar Pro 8 is the native editor/player. It also opens all older .gp3/.gp4/.gp5/.gpx files.
MuseScore 4
Open-source File > Open and pick the .gp - MuseScore imports Guitar Pro scores for free viewing, playback and export. 
macOS3 apps
Linux2 apps
Android1 app
Guitar Pro (mobile)
Paid Open the .gp in Arobas Music's official mobile player to view and play tabs.
Guitar Pro (mobile)
Paid Open the .gp in the official iOS Guitar Pro app to view and play tablature.
Songsterr / Soundslice (viewers)
Freemium Online tab players can display Guitar Pro-style scores in a browser; useful when you can't install software (import support varies). Technical details
deep spec| Container format | ZIP archive; begins with PK magic bytes (50 4B 03 04) at offset 0 |
| Internal score file | XML document stored at Content/score.gpif using Arobas Music's GPIF schema |
| Developer | Arobas Music (France) |
| Platform support | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android; web-based viewers also available |
| Instrument types | Guitar, bass, drums, piano, and other stringed and keyboard instruments; supports both tablature and standard staff notation |
| MIME type | application/octet-stream |
| Embedded audio tracks | One or more audio backing tracks can be included alongside the score |
| Export capabilities | MP3, WAV, MIDI, MusicXML, PDF, PNG (via Guitar Pro 8) |
| Backward compatibility | Guitar Pro 8 can import .gp5, .gp4, .gp3, .gtp, and .gpx files |
| Third-party application support | MuseScore 4, TuxGuitar (open-source), Songsterr and Soundslice (web-based viewers) |
| Notation representation | Combines standard music staff notation with guitar tablature (fret and string numbers) in a single unified view |
| Sound playback engine | RSE (Realistic Sound Engine) - per-track instrument presets and effects data stored within the file |
| Score metadata fields | Title, artist, album, tempo, time signature, key signature, capo position, and per-string tuning |
| GP version distinction | GP7 (2017) and GP8 (2022) use the same .gp extension; an internal GPIF version tag inside the XML differentiates them |
| ZIP compression | Score XML and bundled assets are compressed using the DEFLATE algorithm inside the ZIP container |
| Released | 2017 (Guitar Pro 7; current in Guitar Pro 8, 2022) |
| Specification | www.guitar-pro.com |
GP conversions
Community Q&A
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