.scr · application/vnd.microsoft.portable-executable
What is a .scr file?
Windows Screensaver
About the format
A .scr file is a Windows screensaver — and here's the part that matters: it is a renamed .exe, byte for byte an ordinary PE executable that Windows happily runs when double-clicked. The extension exists purely so the display-settings dialog can list screensavers; nothing about it is safer or more limited than any other program. Attackers have exploited that mismatch between perception ('it's just a screensaver') and reality ('it's a program') for decades, distributing malware as .scr attachments. Windows even hides a command-line convention in them (/s to run, /c to configure, /p to preview) — but any code path still runs arbitrary code. Legitimate screensavers are installed through Settings → Personalization → Lock screen, typically arriving via signed installers. A bare .scr file from email, a download site or a USB drive deserves exactly the same suspicion as an unknown .exe, because that is precisely what it is.
How to open a .scr file
Windows
- Windows (double-click RUNS it — it's an exe)
- install properly via Settings → Personalization
macOS
- n/a
Linux
- n/a
Is a .scr file dangerous?
Yes — it is literally an executable with a costume on. Treat unknown .scr files as unknown programs.
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