How to open .JSON files on Windows
To open .JSON files on Windows, open with vs code, notepad++, or any text editor..
Step-by-step instructions
- Open with VS Code, Notepad++, or any text editor.
- Use browser JSON viewers for formatted inspection.
Recommended software
- VS Code
- Notepad++/TextEdit
- jq (CLI)
Alternative methods
- Open .JSON in a browser-based viewer if desktop apps fail.
- Try opening .JSON on Windows with a secondary app to rule out app-specific issues.
- Convert .JSON only with trusted tools when direct opening is not possible.
Common issues
Unexpected token parse error
JSON syntax is strict and does not allow comments or trailing commas.
- Validate with a JSON linter.
- Remove trailing commas.
- Ensure property names are quoted.
Security note
Never execute untrusted JSON as code.