What Is an MHT File?
A file with the .MHT file extension is an MHTML Web Archive file that can hold HTML files, images, animation, audio, and other media content. Unlike HTML files, these aren’t restricted to holding just text content. These files are often used as a convenient way to archive a web page because all the content for the page can be gathered into a single file, unlike when you view an HTML web page that only includes links to images and other content stored in other locations.
How to Open MHT Files
Probably the easiest way to open MHT files is to use a web browser like Chrome, Opera, Edge, or Internet Explorer. You can also view one in Microsoft Word and WPS Writer. HTML editors support the format as well, like WizHtmlEditor and BlockNote. A text editor can open it as well, but since the file might also include non-text items (like images), you won’t be able to see those objects in the text editor.
How to Convert an MHT File
Some document converter tools, such as Doxillion or AVS Document Converter, can convert out of the MHT format to something else, like PDF or an image format. Turgs MHT Wizard can save one to PST, MSG, EML/EMLX, PDF, MBOX, HTML, XPS, RTF, and DOC. It’s also an easy way to extract the page’s non-text files to a folder (like all the images). Keep in mind that this converter isn’t free, so the trial version is limited. Another is the MHTML Converter that saves MHT files to HTML.
More Information on the MHT Format
MHT files are very similar to HTML files. The difference is that the latter only holds the text content of the page. Any images seen in an HTML file are really just references to online or local images, which are then loaded when the file is loaded. MHT files are different in that they actually hold the image files (and others like audio files) in one file so that even if the online or local images are removed, the MHT file can still be used to view the page and its other files. This is why they’re so useful for archiving pages: the files are stored offline and in one easy-to-access file, regardless of whether they still exist online. Any relative links that were pointing to external files are remapped and pointed to the ones contained within the MHT file. You don’t have to do this manually since it’s done for you during the creation process. Microsoft OneNote is an example of a program that can export to this format. You can also save web pages to MHT in Internet Explorer 11, and probably other browsers, too. The MHTML format isn’t a standard, so while one web browser might be able to save and view the file without any problems, you might find that opening the same file in a different browser makes it look a bit different. Support for this format isn’t available by default in every web browser. Some browsers provide no support for it.
Still Can’t Open It?
If your file doesn’t open with the suggestions from above, you might not really be dealing with an MHT file at all. Check that you’re reading the file extension correctly; it should say .mht. If it doesn’t, it might instead be something very similar. Unfortunately, just because the letters look similar doesn’t mean that the file formats are the same or related in any way. MTH files are Derive Math files used by Texas Instrument’s Derive system and can’t be opened or converted in the same way that MHT files can. NTH is similar as well but used instead for Nokia Series 40 Theme files that open with Nokia Series 40 Theme Studio. Another file extension that looks like these is MHP, which is for Maths Helper Plus files used with Maths Helper Plus from Teachers’ Choice Software.
