PaperPort (MAX)

File Format
Name	PaperPort (MAX)
Ontology	Electronic File Formats Graphics PaperPort (MAX)
Extension(s)	.max
PRONOM	fmt/1223, fmt/1224, fmt/1225, fmt/1339
Wikidata ID	Q29651047
Released	1995

PaperPort (MAX) is a proprietary image format used in early versions of the PaperPort document scanning and management software originally from Visioneer, then ScanSoft then Nuance Communications. In version 14 they switched to MAX files being read-only and to using the PDF format instead, making it possible to use standard tools with the files instead of being locked into proprietary tools from the original vendor.

File Identification

Paperport MAX files begin with three bytes in ascii "ViG"

• PaperPort 2 files begin with ViGAe or ViGBe
• PaperPort 3-4 files begin with ViGCj
• PaperPort 5-7 files begin with ViGEm
• PaperPort 8-12 files begin with ViGFk

In order to migrate from version 2 to 5-7 you need to first convert to version 3-4 using the utility included with the install.

Screenshots

Sample files

• https://telparia.com/fileFormatSamples/image/paperPortMAX/

Links

• Official site
• Wikipedia article
• Visioneer Wikipedia article
• General information on MAX files and the MAX to PDF Converter utility
• Converting MAX to PDF (instructional video)
• PaperPort User Guides