Free online NFO to TEXT converter

What the NFO format is

In the text-file context, NFO is a text-based information file used for software and media release notes, installation instructions, credits, system requirements, and ASCII artwork. Scene release packages commonly include files such as README.NFO. Media applications may also use .nfo for XML metadata; that is still text, but its markup is intended for software rather than direct reading.

NFO has no single required encoding or layout. Older files often use DOS code pages such as CP437, while newer files may use Windows-1252 or UTF-8. The extension indicates the file's intended use; it does not imply compression or a special binary structure.

What the TEXT format is

.txt is the usual extension for unformatted text, while .text is also used by some applications. Neither extension defines one universal encoding. Plain-text files contain characters and line breaks rather than document formatting, embedded images, or font information.

Most operating systems and tools can open TEXT files, including Notepad, TextEdit, Notepad++, VS Code, Vim, command-line utilities, browsers, and indexing systems. For an ordinary NFO, conversion usually changes only the filename extension; saving with a different encoding is optional and may affect artwork or special characters.

How to convert NFO to TEXT

Using a text editor

1. Open the NFO in an editor that can select the character encoding. Notepad++, VS Code, Vim, and current Windows Notepad can open plain-text NFO files. NFO viewers such as GetDiz can display ASCII artwork but are not required for conversion.
2. Check the preview for incorrect symbols, accented characters, or damaged ASCII art. If necessary, reopen the file as CP437, Windows-1252, or UTF-8 until the original characters display correctly.
3. Choose File → Save As.
4. Enter a filename ending in .txt or .text, select plain text and UTF-8 when the destination supports it, then save. In Windows Notepad, choose All files for Save as type when entering the complete filename; otherwise the program may append another .txt.

Using 101convert.com

You can convert the file on 101convert.com for free without installing software. Upload the NFO, select TEXT as the output format, start the conversion, and download the result. Do not upload confidential release notes, credentials, or other sensitive content to an online service.

Renaming or copying the file

If the receiving program only requires a .txt extension and the NFO already displays correctly, renaming or copying it is sufficient. These operations preserve the original bytes and therefore do not change its encoding.

cp release.nfo release.txt

Windows Command Prompt:

copy release.nfo release.txt

To convert a CP437 file to UTF-8 with GNU iconv instead of merely renaming it:

iconv -f CP437 -t UTF-8 release.nfo -o release.txt

Quality and compatibility considerations

Changing the extension does not parse or reformat the content. An XML-based NFO remains XML markup after conversion; use an XML-aware application or stylesheet if you need rendered metadata rather than the source markup.

ASCII artwork requires fixed-width characters and preserved line breaks. View the result with a monospaced font and disable automatic wrapping. Selecting the wrong source encoding can replace symbols or accented characters, so keep the original NFO until the output has been checked. A UTF-8 byte-order mark may confuse older software; omit it when the receiving program requires UTF-8 without a BOM.