What is the UTX file format?
.utx is an Unreal Engine texture package - a binary container holding texture assets for games built on Unreal Engine 1 and Unreal Engine 2. It is not an independently distinct format: it is a standard Unreal Package file, identical in binary structure to .u (code), .unr (maps), .uax (sounds), and .umx (music). The extension signals that the package's primary content is texture objects.
Every Unreal Package begins with the four-byte magic signature C1 83 2A 9E. A package version field at offset 4 identifies the engine generation: values 68-69 indicate Unreal/UT99, while 117-128 indicate UT2003/UT2004. A 64-byte header records flags and offsets to three index tables - name, export, and import - followed by serialized object data containing mipmap chains, palette entries, and UV coordinates.
Textures are stored in multiple formats: 8-bit palettized (P8), 16-bit (G16, RGBA4444), 32-bit RGBA, or DXT block-compressed (DXT1, DXT3, DXT5). Power-of-two dimensions are mandatory; UE2 supports textures up to 2048×2048 pixels.
Games using .utx files include the original Unreal, Unreal Tournament 99, Deus Ex, Rune, UT2003, and UT2004. Unreal Engine 3 replaced .utx with .upk packages, and UE4/UE5 use the .uasset format. Texture inspection is possible with UE Viewer (umodel).
Security & safety
RISK: LOWUTX files are game asset packages; they cannot execute code on the host OS. No malware vector known. Custom UTX from untrusted sources poses no practical security risk.
Format details
in a nutshellPrograms that open UTX files
Windows8 apps
Unreal Tournament Package Tool
Free Open UTX to browse and extract textures; targeted at UT99/UT2003/2004 packages. 
UnrealEd (built into game)
Built-in Launch UnrealEd from Unreal Tournament installation; load UTX via Texture Browser. Technical details
deep spec| Magic bytes | C1 83 2A 9E at offset 0 (universal Unreal Package signature) |
| Byte order | Little-endian |
| Package version field | uint16 at offset 4: 68-69 = Unreal/UT99; 117-128 = UT2003/UT2004 |
| Header size | 64 bytes (magic + version + flags + name/export/import table offsets) |
| Texture formats stored | P8 (palettized 8-bit), G16, RGBA4444, RGBA8, DXT1, DXT3, DXT5 |
| Dimension constraint | Power-of-two dimensions required; maximum 2048×2048 in UE2 |
| DXT compression | DXT1/3/5 block compression within texture objects; no compression at package level |
| Shared binary format | Identical structure to .u (code), .unr (maps), .uax (sounds), .umx (music) packages |
| Typical file size | 1 MB - 200 MB |
| Games using this format | Unreal, Unreal Tournament 99, Deus Ex, Rune, Unreal Tournament 2003/2004, Unreal II |
| Successor formats | .upk (Unreal Engine 3, 2006+), .uasset (Unreal Engine 4/5) |
| Inspection tool | UE Viewer (umodel) - open-source Unreal package viewer and extractor |
| Released | 1998 (Unreal Engine 1, original Unreal) |
| Latest version | Package version 128 (UT2004 / UE2); UE3 uses .upk |
| Specification | wiki.beyondunreal.com |
UTX conversions
Community Q&A
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