Open ILK File

An ILK file is an incremental linker file created by Microsoft's Visual Studio software. This type of file contains information required to quicker link a program using the incremental linking feature, a process which links only modules that have changed since the last link, rather than linking all the modules in a program every time it is built. These files are generally not meant to be manually accessed or manipulated, as they're created and used automatically by the linker.

Opening ILK Files

Directly opening an ILK file outside of its intended software may not be possible, as these files are meant to be used internally by the software they were created with. In most cases, the file opens and operates behind the scenes when the user executes a command within Visual Studio.

Editing ILK Files

Similarly to opening ILK files, editing them manually is not recommended. These files are automatically generated by programs like Visual Studio, and editing them manually could potentially lead to errors in the linking process. If you believe there is a problem with an ILK file, it may be best to remove it and allow the program to regenerate it on the next build.

Converting ILK Files to Other Formats

Since ILK files contain specific linking instructions for a given application, converting them to a different format may not be applicable. There is no known file conversion for ILK files. Instead, they should be used in the context of their intended software environment, most likely that of Visual Studio.

Important Information About ILK Files

By nature, ILK files are relevant only within the software environment in which they were created. For developers and those working extensively with Visual Studio, understanding ILK files can be necessary for optimizing the process of software development and debugging. However, for the average user, these files aren't typically visible or directly interacted with. If you come across an ILK file on your computer, it's most often related to a software development process, and it's generally best left unmanipulated.

How to open ILK files

Frequently associated Windows objects:

  • VisualStudio.ilk.10.0
  • VisualStudio.ilk.9.0

Related extensions