It’s Cyber Monday.

See offers

It’s Cyber Monday. Ends Dec 7.

See offers

It’s Cyber Monday. Save 50% or more on Creative Cloud Pro for individuals, students, and teams. Ends Dec 7.

See offers

What is an ARF file?

An Advanced Recording Format (ARF) file is a container video file that you're only likely to see if you use WebEx software for your video conferences or calls. They're binary files (computer files that aren’t text files) that can combine:

  • Video
  • Audio
  • Attendance lists
  • Chats
  • Annotations
  • Shared screens

Each separate ARF file can contain up to 24 hours of video recordings, meaning they're large in size and can handle a high volume of data. They're most similar to WRF file types, which are also files that contain video recordings from online calls.

The only difference is that WRFs are files that you create yourself when you decide to record a meeting. ARF files are automatically generated after a call.

History of the ARF file.

The ARF file extension was explicitly created for Webex in 2007. Initially, plans were in place for it to succeed WRF files, but the two extensions now coexist within Webex systems. Today, the ARF extension mainly exists within Webex systems and isn't available outside of Webex-owned recording software. However, there are some exceptions.

How to open a ARF file.

To open an ARF file, you'll need to install Cisco's WebEx Player on your Windows or Mac device. If you've got the right software and still can't open your ARF files, you may need to right-click or long-press on the file and select “Open with.”

Doing this will allow you to choose WebEx Player from your available apps. But, if you receive a browser link directly to an ARF file, you should be able to play it in your browser without having to download the correct player software.

Questions? We have answers.

Find out more about our video editing software and the types of files you can create and edit with:

You might also be interested in:

Video Files

Get an overview of the different video files available.

Container Format

We'll show you which container formats are available.

MP4 File

This is how the MP4 container format works.

MOV File

Learn more about MOV files and how to use them.