If you find a file with a .dat extension on your estimator, it's simply a generic data file that contains important data about the program used to create the particular file.

It can be anything like an email attachment (as winmail.dat files), prototype or video, a document or even data, which stores information for software to handle. The information independent inside the .dat file tin can be binary or obviously text merely is related to the plan that created the file.

In order to read or open a .dat file, y'all need to know what kind of file information technology is, and and then catechumen it to make it easier to open.

Such files aren't associated with a particular programme though, and then if it's in plain text, y'all can try to open information technology with unlike programs like MS Document or Notepad among others, and it'll display the content.  Otherwise you'll only come across some crude data that y'all can't understand unless you're a programmer.

In rare cases though, you lot tin can find .dat files having the actual data for video files that open with programs like CyberLink Powerdirector or VCDGear.

How To Read & Open DAT Files

Near files accept default programs that read and open the files, for instance MP3 opens audio files, while plain text files are opened using TXT files, but with .dat files, there'due south no obvious plan to open it.

If yous feel stuck with a .dat file and aren't sure how to open it, what to do with it, or even think information technology should be used or opened in a item manner, yous need to figure out whether it's video or text-based, an email attachment or other kind of .dat file.

The easiest way to figure this out is by going back to how and where yous got the .dat file from, every bit this usually gives y'all the data you need to know how to read .dat files.

Using a Text Editor To Open DAT Files

For text-based .dat files, yous can easily read and/or open up it using a text editor. It's the first tool to try when yous're not sure how to open a DAT file.

In Windows, the native and basic Notepad text editor will aid you, though there are other alternative programs that can supplant Notepad.

Not all .dat files are text files though, so you may not be able to open up them using a text editor. The .dat files may not be like shooting fish in a barrel to edit, delete or fifty-fifty move, because they may be locked, or they may be part of the programme's configuration files, in which case you lot may never need to open it manually, or manipulate it.

To open the .dat file in Windows using a text editor, right-click on the file you want to open, and select Open With.

Select the text editor yous want to use, and click OK.

Yous'll be able to read the file'southward contents if it's a text-based .dat file. If not, you'll meet many NUL references and incomprehensible characters.

If you received an e-mail zipper in the course of a winmail.dat file, you can easily open up it using Winmaildat.com without the sender having to resend it to you in the mail. One time you download the .dat file attachment, go to Winmaildat.com and click Browse next to Upload a File.

Find the .dat file and click Open up. Once uploaded, click Start, permit the file to be analyzed.

Check for the results in the Issue page so yous tin see the contents of the .dat file. You can also click on it to download information technology to your reckoner and view everything the .dat file contains.

For video .dat files, you can cheque the program information technology was saved from and try to open using that program. If it's in a program folder linked to a specific video file program, y'all tin use it to play the file, or attempt using VLC on your computer.

How To Convert DAT Files

You can also convert the .dat file using a costless or paid file converter. The steps you lot'll take to convert .dat files depend on the kind of file yous have, but y'all really don't have to catechumen it to another format especially if it's used to shop configuration data as we mentioned above.

Similarly, converting the .dat file could also render it unusable. For example, you lot can open up a .dat video file in the programme that was used to create it, and and so salve it or export to another format similar the popular MP4, WMV, AVI or FLV.

Another mode of reading and opening .dat files that came as email attachments is by renaming it to the correct extension that your computer recognizes, especially if you know information technology'due south supposed to exist a item file type but is a DAT file instead.

For case, if you know it's meant to be an paradigm file, you tin rename it to JPG or PNG, or for Microsoft Word documents, you can rename the DAT file extension to .physician or .docx. Make sure to read out article on how to open a file with no extension as it explains the process in more than item.

Before renaming the DAT file though, configure Windows to show file extensions properly.

We hope you now know how to read and open DAT files in Windows. Let u.s. know which of the three methods worked for you by sharing your annotate in the section below.