ABA File Viewer
To open an ABA file, drop it onto this page — the viewer decodes it instantly in your browser with no software to install. Works on Mac, Windows, and mobile. Free, no signup, files never leave your device.
1. Source ABA file
How to use
- 1
Drop the ABA file
Drag an .aba file into the dropzone. The viewer decodes every record and renders the file's contents instantly.
- 2
Inspect the contents
See the file-level header (bank, account, processing date) and every payment row in a readable table.
- 3
Move to another tool
Need to export as CSV? Use the ABA to CSV Converter. Need to fix something? Use the ABA Editor.
Why use ABA File Converter's ABA Viewer
- Free, no signup — opens any .aba file in your browser in seconds.
- Works on Mac, Windows, Linux, and mobile — no software to install.
- Shows the file header and every payment row in a clean, readable table.
- Detects malformed files and links you to the Validator for a full diagnosis.
How to open an ABA file
An ABA file (.aba) is a plain text file. Despite the unfamiliar extension, it is not a program and cannot be “run” — it is a structured text file designed to be uploaded to a bank's internet banking portal.
In a browser (recommended): Drop the file onto this page. The viewer decodes every record and renders the payments in a readable table. No software to install — works on Mac, Windows, Linux, and mobile.
In a text editor: Any text editor (Notepad on Windows, TextEdit on Mac, VS Code) can open an ABA file. Each line is exactly 120 characters. Lines starting with 0 are the file header, lines starting with 1 are payments, and the line starting with 7 is the totals record. The format is readable but requires knowing the field positions.
In Excel: You cannot open an ABA file directly in Excel. Convert it to CSV first using the ABA to CSV Converter, then open the CSV in Excel.
What's inside an ABA file?
An ABA file contains three types of records, each exactly 120 characters wide:
- File header (Type 0): The name of the business sending the payments, the three-letter bank code (e.g.
WBCfor Westpac), the file description (e.g.PAYROLL), and the date the bank should process the payments. - Payment rows (Type 1): One row per payment. Each row contains the recipient's BSB, account number, account name, payment amount in cents, and the payment reference that will appear on the recipient's bank statement.
- File total (Type 7): The total credits, total debits, and the number of payment rows. Banks verify this against the detail rows to confirm nothing was altered in transit.
For the full field-by-field specification, see the ABA File Format Specification.
About the ABA file format
The ABA file (sometimes called Direct Entry or Cemtex) is the fixed-width 120-character text format Australian banks accept for batch payments. Every record is exactly 120 characters; a file has one Type 0 descriptive header, one or more Type 1 detail records, and one Type 7 totals record. Read the full ABA file format spec.
Frequently asked questions
How do I open an ABA file?
Drop it onto this page. The viewer is a free, browser-based reader for .aba files used by Australian banks. No software installation required — it works in any modern browser on Mac, Windows, Linux, and mobile.
How do I open an ABA file on a Mac?
Drop the .aba file onto this page. The viewer works in any modern browser on macOS — Safari, Chrome, or Firefox. No additional software is required.
How do I open an ABA file on Windows?
Drop the .aba file onto this page. The viewer works in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or any modern browser on Windows 10 and 11.
What program opens a .aba file?
ABA files are plain text and can be opened in any text editor. For a human-readable view with column headings and formatted amounts, use this viewer. For editing, use the ABA File Editor.
Can I open an ABA file in Excel?
Not directly — Excel does not recognise the .aba extension. The standard approach is to convert the ABA file to CSV first using the ABA to CSV Converter on this site, then open the CSV in Excel.
What can I do with the viewer?
View only — no editing, no export. To export as a spreadsheet, use the ABA to CSV Converter. To fix errors, use the ABA Editor. To check the file against the spec, use the ABA Validator.
Why does my browser try to run the .aba file when I double-click it?
The browser does not recognise the .aba extension because it is not a common file type. Drop the file directly onto this page instead of double-clicking it.
Is the ABA file uploaded to a server?
No. The entire file is read and decoded in your browser. Nothing is sent to any server at any point.