Newer versions of Isadora can always open files from older versions. However, older versions may not be able to open files saved in a newer version if the file format has changed between those versions.

For example, any version of Isadora 4 can open files from Isadora 3, but no version of Isadora 3 can open an Isadora 4 file.

File format changes don’t only happen between major versions (e.g., Isadora 3 to 4). Sometimes, smaller updates introduce file format changes to support new features. For example, the file format changed in Isadora 4.0.7 to support Control Panel updates, so Isadora 4.0.2 cannot open files from 4.0.7.

To prevent accidental file updates, Isadora 3 introduced a warning dialog. By default, it creates and updates a copy of the file, leaving the original unchanged. If you prefer to update the original, you must confirm your choice twice.

For Isadora 4, these are the versions that introduced a new file format:

  • Isadora 4.0.7
  • Isadora 4.0.0


For Isadora 3, these are the versions that introduced a new file format:

  • Isadora 3.1
  • Isadora 3.0.7
  • Isadora 3.0.6
  • Isadora 3.0.3
  • Isadora 3.0