# ASiC-E Viewer: what it is and what it shows you

> An ASiC-E viewer is a program that opens an electronically signed `.asice` container and shows what is inside it: the documents, the people who signed them and the moment they did.

Source: https://asiceviewer.com/en/blog/asice-viewer/
Published: 2026-11-10 · Digixy

## In short

- An .asice file is a ZIP container holding documents plus their electronic signatures.
- A viewer shows three things: the files, the signatures and a preview of each document.
- [ASiCE Viewer](https://asiceviewer.com/en/#tool) does this in the browser, without uploading the file.

## What an ASiC-E viewer does

A signed container looks like a single file, but it is really a package. Inside are one or more documents, a small `mimetype` file and a `META-INF` folder with the signatures. Operating systems do not know what to do with it, so double-clicking usually leads nowhere.

A viewer unpacks the package and turns it into something readable. Instead of a folder full of XML you get a list of documents, a list of signers and a preview pane.

## The three panels you will see

- **Files** – every document that was signed, with its size and a download button.
- **Signatures** – one card per signer: name, personal code, signing time, time stamp, role and certificate issuer.
- **Preview** – the selected document rendered on screen: PDF pages, Word text, spreadsheets, images or plain text.

In ASiCE Viewer the signature card also carries an integrity line. The digest of every file is recomputed and compared with the value stored in the signature, so a file changed after signing is flagged immediately.

## Who needs a viewer

| Situation | Why a viewer helps |
| Received a contract by e-mail | Read it without installing signing software |
| Accountant or HR specialist | Check quickly who has signed and who has not |
| Abroad, on a borrowed computer | No administrator rights are needed in a browser |
| On a phone | The [Android app](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.digixy.asiceviewer&hl=en&referrer=utm_source%3Dasiceviewer.com%26utm_medium%3Dblog-md) opens containers offline |

## Viewer or signing software?

A viewer is for reading. To create a signature, or to get an official verdict on validity, you need signing software such as Estonia's DigiDoc4. The two complement each other: the viewer is the fast everyday tool, the official client is the authority. See [ASiC-E signature verification](https://asiceviewer.com/en/blog/asice-signature-verification/) for where the line runs.

## Frequently asked questions

**Is an ASiC-E viewer the same as DigiDoc4?**

No. DigiDoc4 is the official Estonian client that signs and validates. A viewer such as ASiCE Viewer only reads containers, but it needs no installation and runs on any device.

**Does a viewer change my file?**

No. The container is only read. Nothing is written back and the signatures stay untouched.

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Open your .asice file now: https://asiceviewer.com/en/
ASiC-E Viewer on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.digixy.asiceviewer