What Is an ASF File & How to Recover ASF Files?

What is an ASF file?

ASF, known as Advanced Systems Format is a flexible file format specifically created for the storage and playback of synchronized digital media streams, while also enabling their transmission across networks.

It serves as the container format for Windows Media Audio and Windows Media Video-based content. When your ASF file contains content encoded with the Windows Media Audio/Windows Media Video codecs, it is identified by the file extension WMA/WMV.

In essence, ASF provides a framework for effectively managing digital media streams, ensuring synchronization and seamless transmission.

By utilizing the Windows Media Format SDK, developers can harness the capabilities to generate and access Windows Media files, as well as manipulate ASF files containing diverse forms of compressed or uncompressed data.

The key objectives of the ASF format can be summarized as follows:

How do I open an ASF file in Windows 10/11?

In Windows, you can seek help from Microsoft Movies & TV, Windows Media Player, File Viewer Plus, CyberLink PowerProducer 6, VideoLAN VLC media player, Nullsoft Winamp, or Applian Relay Converter to open ASF files.

Let’s show how to open ASF files via Microsoft Windows Media Player.

» Please press Win + E to open File Explorer > click Downloads > find the downloaded ASF video you want to open > click Open with > select Media Player.

For Mac OS, you can try the following media players.

• VideoLAN VLC media player
• ShedWorx Smart Converter
• Aiseesoft Mac Video Converter Ultimate
• NCH WavePad

Possible reasons for ASF file loss

Besides deletion, there’re other relevant reasons that cause ASF video loss.

◆ Corrupted file systems of your memory card render ASF video files unreadable.

◆ Prematurely disconnect a memory card from a camera to your PC during photo transfer.

◆ Windows Defender automatically deletes files infected by antivirus as your ASF videos are infected.

◆ Accidentally formatted the card containing your desired ASF videos after receiving the following error message.

◆ Unexpected system shutdowns.

◆ Power outages.

How to recover deleted/lost ASF files without backups?

Deletion emerges as the predominant scenario among various circumstances that result in the loss of ASF files. So can you recover deleted ASF videos even without backups?

Without backups, powerful video recovery software guarantees a significantly high data recovery rate for deleted and missing ASF files if they haven’t been overwritten by new data.

Therefore, it’s crucial to refrain from adding new files to your Windows or other storage devices to prevent overwriting data.

Furthermore, the earlier you begin video recovery through MyRecover, the greater your chances of success will be because this professional video recovery software is good at recovering deleted/lost videos (ASF, AVI, MKV, WMV, RMVB, WebM, etc.) from your computer hard drives and other local storage devices.

Notes:✎...   

After video recovery, please save your retrieved ASF videos in a new path.

MyRecover free plan offers a 500MB data recovery allowance, enabling the recovery of an unlimited number of files. For instance, there’s no need for you to pay for one recovered ASF files within 500MB.  

To recover large or more ASF videos from local hard drives, upgrading MyRecover is a better and more cost-effective choice.

Step 1. After launching MyRecover on your Windows> Hover the mouse over the drive saved deleted ASF files before, and click Scan.

Step 2. MyRecover will automatically run Quick and Deep Scan to scan your selected C drive and display all the recoverable files.

You can preview or filter your needed ASF videos according to Document Type, Name, Path, Size, Date, etc.

• Name: Type the filenames of your desired files to narrow the search area.
• Date modified: Set the date (today, yesterday, last 7/30 days, etc.)
• Size: Filter the file size (<128KB, 128KB~1MB, 1MB~ 512MB, etc.)

Step 3. Under the Recycle Bin folder, locate the ASF video you want to restore. Please click “Recover x files” to start the video recovery process.

After data recovery, you can go to your previously designated saved path to check your recovered ASF videos.

The path usually is This PC\Your selected drive\Your selected folder\the source drive +recovered date\the source folder saves your TIFF files before permanent deletion

Another 3 methods to recover ASF files

Apart from that, there’re three feasible solutions to perform ASF file recovery.

Way 1. Show hidden files, folders, and drives

In some cases, ASF video files may become invisible when your storage devices, where you have stored .asf files, get infected by viruses or malware. Given that many practical Microsoft features are underutilized, let’s demonstrate how to show hidden files, folders, or drives via File Explorer.   

Notes:✎...

If your Windows 10 shows hidden files not working, you can use the attrib/dir command to recover hidden files.

» Press Win + E to open File Explorer > click the drive that stores your wanted ASF videos before missing > click View > Options > View > tick Show hidden files, folders, and drives > click Apply to save modifications.

Way 2. Restore accidentally/recently deleted ASF files from Recycle Bin

As the name suggests, this method also applies to accidentally and recently deleted ASF files. In brief, before permanent deletion (emptying the Recycle Bin or pressing Shift + Delete), it’s possible to restore them from this temporary storage place.

» Please double-click to open your desktop Recycle Bin > find the deleted ASF video you want to retrieve > right-click on it > Restore it to its original location.

Way 3. Restore deleted, lost, or damaged ASF files via File History

The presence of backups is crucial for the restoration process. As a free backup feature, Windows File History provides the capability to back up files in various categories such as Videos, Documents, Music, Pictures, Desktop folders, and offline OneDrive files on your PC.

If you once saved your wanted ASF files in the above paths, after activating File History, it’s possible for you to restore ASF files even if their original videos were deleted, lost, or damaged.   

Notes:✎...

After turning on File History or the System Protection of the local disk drive that saves your desired ASF videos, you can also recover overwritten Excel files, PowerPoint files, or ASF videos as you prefer.

Step 1. Type “System and Security” in the search bar to open it.

Step 2. Under the File History tab, select the “Restore your files with File History” option.

Step 3. Click the “Restore personal files” button.

Step 4. “Restore” your selected ASF file to its previously saved path. 

If you need to change its saved path, you can right-click on Restore > Restore to.

Relevant Q&A about ASF files

In summary, losing ASF video files from digital storage devices could be disheartening. The importance of these deleted/lost videos prompts the desire for ASF video recovery. Occasionally, ASF files can become corrupted due to various reasons, resulting in ASF video loss.

To prevent such situations in the future, it’s strongly recommended to regularly back up all your ASF videos on different digital devices with AOMEI Backupper Standard.

Furthermore, there’re some relevant tips about ASF files and ASF file recovery.