What is the SPP file format?
.spp is the native project format for Serif PhotoPlus, a Windows-only raster image editor developed by Serif Europe Ltd. from approximately 1995 until it was discontinued in 2017. The last major release was PhotoPlus X8 (2014).
The format changed significantly over its lifetime. Versions up to roughly PhotoPlus X2 (circa 2007) stored projects in an OLE2 Compound File Binary container - identifiable by the D0 CF 11 E0 magic bytes at the file start. Later versions switched to an XML-based structure. Files from different eras are structurally different, though PhotoPlus itself handled internal version compatibility.
An .spp project stores the full layered image state: pixel layers, adjustment layers, text layers, QuickShapes, live effects, blend modes, transparency channels, and image metadata. File sizes range from a few hundred kilobytes for simple work to hundreds of megabytes for multi-layered high-resolution projects. Color depth spans 1-bit to 32-bit RGBA, including 16-bit-per-channel support.
Serif replaced PhotoPlus with Affinity Photo (released 2015), but Affinity Photo does not import .spp files. Users migrating from PhotoPlus must open their projects in the old PhotoPlus software and export to TIFF, PNG, or PSD before moving to Affinity Photo or another modern editor. There is no automated conversion tool.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWSPP is a passive image project file with no documented macro or script execution capability. Low security risk. Main practical risk is data loss if the file is opened in an incompatible version of PhotoPlus or another editor that cannot read it.
Format details
in a nutshell- Scratch++ project file - Some forks of Scratch (educational programming) also use .spp for project data.
Programs that open SPP files
Windows1 app
Serif PhotoPlus X8
Paid File > Open the .spp file. The software is discontinued but existing installers still run on Windows 10/11; check older licence keys or the Serif archive. This is the only application that natively opens SPP files. Technical details
deep spec| Format type | Proprietary raster image project file (layered) |
| Container (pre-2007) | OLE2 Compound File Binary - magic bytes `D0 CF 11 E0 A1 B1 1A E1` at offset 0 |
| Container (post-2007) | XML-based plain-text format (no fixed magic bytes; begins with XML declaration) |
| Byte order | Little-endian (OLE2 variant); not applicable for XML variant |
| Layers support | Pixel layers, adjustment layers, text layers, QuickShapes, and live effects |
| Color depth | 1-bit to 32-bit RGBA; supports both 8-bit and 16-bit per channel |
| Typical file size | 500 KB - 200 MB (depends on image dimensions, layer count, and applied effects) |
| Compression | None (XML variant); possible per-stream compression in OLE2 variant |
| Associated OS | Windows only |
| Software compatibility | Serif PhotoPlus only (versions approximately 4 through X8, 1995-2014); no third-party support |
| Migration path | Export from PhotoPlus to TIFF, PNG, or PSD before migrating; Affinity Photo does not import `.spp` files |
| Released | circa 1995 (Serif PhotoPlus early versions) |
| Latest version | PhotoPlus X8 (2014) - last major release before discontinuation |
SPP conversions
Community Q&A
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