[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"extension:v3:en:shx":3},{"resolvedFromAlias":4,"canonicalExt":5,"ext":5,"name":6,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"updatedAt":9,"popularity":10,"summary":11,"howToOs":12,"quickAnswer":18,"answerIntro":19,"whatIs":20,"description":21,"furtherReading":22,"openInstructions":41,"commonIssues":55,"securityNotes":74,"faq":77,"aliases":90,"mimeTypes":91,"relatedExtensions":92,"breadcrumbs":137,"categoryAnchor":147,"categoryFuturePath":148,"metaDescription":149,"availableHowToOs":150,"openOnDeviceLinks":151,"cannotOpenReasons":167,"cannotOpenFixes":168,"convertOptions":169,"securityAffiliateMessaging":170,"securityAffiliates":171},false,"shx","Esri Shapefile Index (SHX)","gis","GIS","2026-06-12T08:56:46.999Z",55,".shx is the index component of an Esri Shapefile dataset, used alongside .shp (geometry) and .dbf (attributes). You typically open it by opening the shapefile dataset (the .shp) in a GIS app rather than opening the .shx by itself.",[13,14,15,16,17],"windows","mac","linux","ios","android","To open .SHX files on Windows, confirm whether it is part of a shapefile dataset: look for matching files with the same name like .shp and .dbf in the same folder.","To open a .shx file, open the corresponding shapefile dataset in a GIS program (for example, load the .shp that belongs with the same base name). The .shx is required by many tools as part of the shapefile set and is not usually viewed directly.","In the Esri Shapefile specification, the .shx file is an index that enables fast access to features in the .shp file. It contains a header and a list of fixed-size index records; each index record stores the offset and content length of a geometry record in the .shp. The records across .shp, .shx, and .dbf correspond, so losing or mismatching one part can break the dataset.","Important ambiguity: the .shx extension is also used by AutoCAD for compiled shape/font files (compiled from SHP shape definition files). If your .shx came from CAD font/shape workflows rather than GIS data, it may be an AutoCAD SHX file, not a shapefile index.",[23,26,29,32,35,38],{"title":24,"url":25},"Esri Shapefile Technical Description (PDF)","https://www.esri.com/content/dam/esrisites/sitecore-archive/Files/Pdfs/library/whitepapers/pdfs/shapefile.pdf",{"title":27,"url":28},"Shapefile (Wikipedia)","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shapefile",{"title":30,"url":31},"Shapefiles (ArcGIS Enterprise documentation)","https://doc.esri.com/en/arcgis-enterprise/latest/share/shapefiles.html",{"title":33,"url":34},"ESRI Shapefile / DBF — GDAL documentation","https://gdal.org/drivers/vector/shapefile.html",{"title":36,"url":37},"QGIS User Guide (PDF) — Shapefile components","https://docs.qgis.org/3.4/pdf/en/QGIS-testing-UserGuide-en.pdf",{"title":39,"url":40},"Autodesk AutoCAD Help — About Shape Descriptions (SHX compiled from SHP)","https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2021/ENU/AutoCAD-Customization/files/GUID-DE941DB5-7044-433C-AA68-2A9AE98A5713.htm",{"windows":42,"macos":45,"linux":48,"ios":51,"android":53},[43,44],"Confirm whether it is part of a shapefile dataset: look for matching files with the same name like .shp and .dbf in the same folder.","Open the dataset by loading the .shp in a GIS tool that supports shapefiles (for example QGIS, or GDAL/OGR-based tools). The .shx will be used automatically.",[46,47],"Check that the matching .shp and .dbf exist next to the .shx with the same base name.","Open the .shp in a shapefile-capable GIS tool (for example QGIS, or GDAL/OGR tools).",[49,50],"Verify the shapefile set is complete (.shp + .shx + .dbf with the same base name).","Open the .shp with QGIS or use GDAL/OGR to read the shapefile dataset; the .shx is consumed automatically.",[52],"If you only have a .shx, transfer the full shapefile set (.shp/.shx/.dbf) to a desktop GIS tool and open the .shp there.",[54],"If the .shx is from a shapefile, make sure you also have the matching .shp and .dbf, then transfer the set to a desktop GIS tool to open the .shp.",[56,62,68],{"title":57,"description":58,"steps":59},"Only opening the .shx shows nothing (or errors)","The .shx is an index, not a standalone dataset; most software expects you to open the shapefile layer via the .shp and will read the .shx automatically.",[60,61],"Make sure the matching .shp and .dbf exist in the same folder and share the same base name.","Open/load the .shp (not the .shx) in your GIS software.",{"title":63,"description":64,"steps":65},"Shapefile won’t load because the set is incomplete","Shapefiles are multi-file datasets and commonly require the core components .shp, .shx, and .dbf; missing one can prevent loading or uploading/downloading in GIS systems.",[66,67],"Re-download or re-export the data ensuring the .shp, .shx, and .dbf are included together.","Keep all three files in the same directory with identical base names (e.g., roads.shp/roads.shx/roads.dbf).",{"title":69,"description":70,"steps":71},".shx appears to be a CAD SHX (AutoCAD shapes/fonts), not GIS",".shx is also used by AutoCAD for compiled shapes/fonts (compiled from SHP shape definition files). A CAD SHX won’t behave like a shapefile index and won’t load as GIS data.",[72,73],"Look for context: if there is no matching .shp/.dbf, or the file came with AutoCAD fonts/shapes, treat it as an AutoCAD SHX file.","Open/use it within the relevant CAD workflow instead of a GIS shapefile reader.",[75,76],"A .shx is typically parsed by GIS/CAD software as structured binary data; avoid opening shapefile components from untrusted sources in sensitive environments because bugs in file parsers can be exploited even when files are “just data”.",".shx is usually not useful on its own; if you receive a lone .shx without the matching .shp/.dbf, treat it as suspicious or incomplete data and request the full dataset before attempting to use it.",[78,81,84,87],{"question":79,"answer":80},"Can I delete the .shx and still use the shapefile?","Many tools expect the .shx as part of the core shapefile set (.shp/.shx/.dbf). Because it provides record offsets and lengths into the .shp, removing it commonly breaks reading or makes the dataset unusable in systems that require it.",{"question":82,"answer":83},"Why do I have a .shx file with no .shp?","A shapefile is distributed as multiple files; you likely received an incomplete export or download. Alternatively, it could be an AutoCAD SHX (compiled shapes/fonts) rather than a shapefile index.",{"question":85,"answer":86},"What does the .shx store?","Per Esri’s technical description, each index record stores the offset and content length of the corresponding geometry record in the .shp, enabling fast access.",{"question":88,"answer":89},"How should I share shapefile data so others can open it?","Share at least the core files together—.shp, .shx, and .dbf—with the same base name in one folder (commonly zipped for transfer), because many platforms and tools treat them as one dataset.",[],[],[93,99,104,110,115,120,125,131],{"ext":94,"name":95,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":96,"summary":97,"howToOs":98},"geojson","GeoJSON (RFC 7946) geospatial data",72,".geojson is a JSON-based format for exchanging geographic features (points, lines, polygons) and their properties. It is widely used in GIS and web mapping tools and follows the GeoJSON standard (RFC 7946).",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":100,"name":101,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":96,"summary":102,"howToOs":103},"shp","Esri Shapefile (geometry file)",".shp is the main geometry file in an Esri Shapefile dataset used to store vector GIS features. You typically open it in GIS software (for example ArcGIS Pro) together with its companion files such as .dbf and .shx.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":105,"name":106,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":107,"summary":108,"howToOs":109},"kml","Keyhole Markup Language (KML)",70,"KML is an XML-based GIS format for showing geographic features (placemarks, paths, polygons, overlays) on maps and virtual globes. It’s commonly opened in Google Earth and is also supported by GIS tools such as ArcGIS.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":111,"name":112,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":10,"summary":113,"howToOs":114},"gpkg","OGC GeoPackage (SQLite) geospatial database",".gpkg is an OGC GeoPackage: a SQLite 3 database file with a standardized schema for geospatial data. It commonly stores vector layers and can also store raster/tiles in the same single file.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":116,"name":117,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":10,"summary":118,"howToOs":119},"osm","OpenStreetMap OSM XML (map data)",".osm is an OpenStreetMap dataset stored as OSM XML, containing map features like nodes, ways, and relations. It’s commonly opened or imported into GIS tools such as QGIS, GDAL-based software, or data-integration tools like FME.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":121,"name":122,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":10,"summary":123,"howToOs":124},"prj","ESRI/Shapefile Projection (WKT CRS) File",".prj is a plain-text “projection” sidecar file most commonly used with ESRI Shapefiles to store the dataset’s coordinate reference system in Well-Known Text (WKT). You typically open it in GIS software (as part of the shapefile) or a text editor to inspect the CRS definition.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":126,"name":127,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":128,"summary":129,"howToOs":130},"kmz","KMZ (Zipped KML) geospatial archive",45,"A KMZ file is a ZIP-compressed package used to share KML map content (places, paths, overlays), often for viewing in Google Earth and other GIS tools.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":132,"name":133,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":134,"summary":135,"howToOs":136},"mbtiles","MBTiles (SQLite tile set)",35,".mbtiles is a single-file map tile package used to store tiled maps (raster or vector tiles) in a SQLite database. It’s commonly opened in GIS and mapping tools such as QGIS, GDAL-based tools, and MapTiler Desktop.",[13,14,15,16,17],[138,141,144],{"label":139,"to":140},"Home","/",{"label":142,"to":143},"File Extension Index","/file-extension",{"label":145,"to":146},".SHX","/file-extension/shx","category-gis","/category/gis","Learn what .SHX files are, how to open them on every platform, common fixes, and security best practices.",[13,14,15,16,17],[152,155,158,161,164],{"os":13,"label":153,"to":154},"Open .SHX on Windows","/how-to/open-shx-on-windows",{"os":14,"label":156,"to":157},"Open .SHX on Mac","/how-to/open-shx-on-mac",{"os":15,"label":159,"to":160},"Open .SHX on Linux","/how-to/open-shx-on-linux",{"os":16,"label":162,"to":163},"Open .SHX on iOS","/how-to/open-shx-on-ios",{"os":17,"label":165,"to":166},"Open .SHX on Android","/how-to/open-shx-on-android",[57,63,69],[60,61],[],"untrusted_source",[172,176],{"name":173,"description":174,"affiliateUrl":175},"Avast","Avast offers free and premium antivirus software that protects against viruses, malware, ransomware, and phishing. Scan files before opening them to ensure safety.","https://www.avast.com/lp-aff-consumer-store?expid=inf601",{"name":177,"description":178,"affiliateUrl":179},"Norton","Norton 360 delivers comprehensive antivirus protection, VPN, and identity theft monitoring. Scan files for threats before opening to keep your device secure.","http://buy.norton.com/aff_home?utm_campaign=en-ww_nor_n36_aff_nas_nau_nah_cj_nad_low:_sec_nat_mktc_norton_360"]