Corel AfterShot Pro can open image files and queue files that are dropped onto the Corel AfterShot Pro application icon or that are passed in on the command line, or that are opened with the File > Open command. The files will be opened in File System mode, meaning that image settings and metadata will be read from XMP and Corel AfterShot Pro XMP files that reside with the images being opened — and not any settings found in Corel AfterShot Pro catalogs that contain those files.

Work Queue files are plain text files that list the files to be opened in Corel AfterShot Pro. They are simple files, made up of the following parts: