.nfo (also written .NFO or NFO, a contraction of "info", or "information") is a filename extension for text files that accompany warez scene releases of pirated software or media.

This information is delivered for publishing through digital media to make it searchable on the web as well as within local catalogues and libraries.

[3] NFO files are also often found in demoscene productions, where the respective groups include them for credits, contact details, and the software requirements.

[4] NFO files were first introduced by "Fabulous Furlough" of the elite PC warez organization called The Humble Guys, or THG.

If the user's computer wasn't already configured to load the ANSI.SYS driver, viewing ANSI art required reconfiguring and rebooting.

The file was a stamp of authenticity, explicitly explaining what group released the software and described what modifications (or cracks) were applied if any.

In modern-day warez NFO files, a large ASCII art logo is frequently shown at the top, followed by textual information below.

The simplest method to view is using a text editor and selecting a monospace font and set "US Latin" or "extended ASCII".

However, web browsers use an incompatible alternative encoding scheme resulting in incorrect rendering of NFO files.

For this reason dedicated NFO viewers are available which are text editors with appropriate fonts (such as Terminus[jargon][14]) and encoding settings, automatic window size and clickable hyperlinks.