# arrayWithContentsOfFile: Creates and returns an array containing the contents of the file specified by a given path. ``` + (NSArray *) arrayWithContentsOfFile:(NSString *) path; ``` ## Parameters `path` The path to a file containing a string representation of an array produced by the [`write(toFile:atomically:)`](/documentation/Foundation/NSArray/write(toFile:atomically:)) method. ## Return Value An array containing the contents of the file specified by `aPath`. Returns `nil` if the file can’t be opened or if the contents of the file can’t be parsed into an array. ## Discussion The array representation in the file identified by `aPath` must contain only property list objects (`NSString`, `NSData`, `NSDate`, `NSNumber`, `NSArray`, or `NSDictionary` objects). For more details, see [Property List Programming Guide](https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/PropertyLists/Introduction/Introduction.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/10000048i). The objects contained by this array are immutable, even if the array is mutable. ## See Also [`func write(toFile: String, atomically: Bool) -> Bool`](/documentation/Foundation/NSArray/write(toFile:atomically:)) Writes the contents of the array to a file at a given path. --- Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. | [Terms of Use](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/terms/site.html) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy)