A DAT file is a generic file whose contents can vary. If the DAT file is opened from the program used to create it, it will open correctly. Unfortunately it is sometimes difficult to know with what program a DAT file was created. DAT stands for data. In Minecraft, DAT files are used to track user and level data. The NBTExplorer program is recommended for editing DAT files in Minecraft. You can modify the game's content by editing the contents of the DAT file. Click this wikiHow to learn how to edit a Minecraft DAT file. You can open a DAT file using any text editor, but if the file is in a non-text format, you'll see messy content. This is especially true for DAT files associated with videos. Sometimes, DAT files are generated by Outlook email messages sent in rich text format, such as bold or italics. Outlook DAT files are used to store rich text format data but cannot be used otherwise.
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Method 1 of 5: Opening and Editing a DAT File
Step 1. Open the DAT file using a text editor
You can use your computer's system's built-in text editor, such as Microsoft Notepad or OS X TextEdit.
Step 2. See the instructions for the file's origin
Sometimes, even if the content contains unreadable characters, the DAT file includes some text that can provide clues about the type of file.
- For example, if you think a DAT file is a video, you can try opening it in a video player.
- If you edit a DAT file with unreadable characters and then save it, the file may become corrupted and unusable, even if you open it from the correct program.
Step 3. Edit the DAT file
Make changes to this file just like any other text file, and then save it.
Method 2 of 5: Changing DAT Extension Files in Windows
Step 1. Make sure this file extension is visible
Before you can edit this file extension in Windows, make sure it's visible. Open Windows Explorer. Open the directory where the file is located. If the file name is followed by a period (.) followed by three or more characters, the file extension is visible. Otherwise, click here for instructions on how to make file extensions visible.
Step 2. Rename the file extension
Locate the file with the extension you want to replace, right-click it and click Rename. Change the file extension, then press Enter. In the dialog box, click Yes to finish editing.
If you are unsure which file extension to use, click here to view some of the common file extensions
Method 3 of 5: Changing DAT Extension Files on Mac OS X
Step 1. Make sure this file extension is visible
Before you can edit file extensions on your Mac, make sure they are visible. Open Finder. Open the directory where the file is located. If the file name is followed by a period (.) followed by three or more characters, the file extension is visible. Otherwise, click here for instructions on how to make file extensions visible.
Step 2. Rename the file extension
Locate the file with the extension you want to replace, right-click it, and then click Get Info. In the File Info window, in the Name & Extension field, change the file extension. When finished, close the window. In the dialog box, click Keep for the file extension you want to use.
Method 4 of 5: Making File Extensions Visible in Windows
Step 1. Open Control Panel
Click Start, and then click Control Panel. In Control Panel, click Appearance and Personality.
Step 2. Make sure the file extension is visible
Click Folder Options. Click the View tab, then under Advanced settings, uncheck Hide extensions for known file types.
Step 3. Make sure the file extension is visible in Windows 8
Open Windows Explorer, then click the View tab. Click Options, then click Change folder and search options. Under Advanced settings, scroll down and uncheck Hide extensions for known file types. Click Apply.
Method 5 of 5: Making File Extensions Visible on Mac OS X
Step 1. Open Finder Preferences
Open Finder. Click the Finder menu, then click Preferences.
Step 2. Make the file extension visible
Click the Advanced tab. Check Show all filename extensions. Close Finder Preferences.
Tips
Here's a list of some common file extensions:
. DOC,. DOCX: Microsoft Word documents
. XLS: Microsoft Excel document
. CSV: worksheet file with comma separated values
. PPT: Microsoft PowerPoint document
. PDF: Adobe PDF file
. TXT: text file
. RTF: rich text file
.jpg,.gif: image files
. MP3,. WAV: audio files
. MP4,. WMV: video files
. EXE: executable software program file
