This wikiHow teaches you how to open a DAT file on a Windows or Mac computer. You can open the DAT file in question through the program that created the file. If you don't know the program you're using, you'll need to determine the correct program before you can open the file. Keep in mind that some DAT files, such as files used to store language codecs, cannot be opened with normal programs. These programs are used by the computer system so they should not be modified.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Opening a Known DAT File on a Windows Computer
Step 1. Find out the program used to create the DAT file
Unlike most other file types, DAT files can be created in any program. Therefore, you will need to know the program used to create the file so that you know which program can open it.
If you don't know the program used to create the existing DAT file, you'll need to find out what program to use before you can open the file
Step 2. Open the appropriate program
Click or double-click the icon of the program used to create the DAT file.
Step 3. Click File
This menu is usually in the upper-left corner of the program window. After that, the menu will be displayed.
Step 4. Click Open…
This option is in the menu " File " Once clicked, a File Explorer window will open.
If you are using Microsoft Office, double-click the “ This PC ” in the middle of the page after clicking the option “ Open ” to open a File Explorer window.
Step 5. View all files in File Explorer
Click the file type box to the right of the " Name " text field, then select " All Files ” from the displayed drop-down menu. With this option, File Explorer will display all files, including DAT files.
Step 6. Select the DAT file
Go to the directory where the DAT file is stored, and then click the DAT file once to select it.
Step 7. Click Open
It's in the lower-right corner of the window. The DAT file will then be opened in the program.
Step 8. Confirm the option to view files when prompted
Sometimes, you'll receive a warning that the contents of the file don't match the file extension (or something similar). In this situation, click the button “ Yes " or " Open ” to open the DAT file.
For example, when you open a DAT file that was created in Excel through Microsoft Excel, you may get a warning that the file is corrupt. However, you can still click the “ Yes ” to open it.
Step 9. Change the DAT file extension if necessary
If you don't want to have to drag the DAT file to the appropriate program every time you want to open it, you can change the extension. Keep in mind that you need to know which extension to use for the file because changing the extension to even a slightly different format (e.g. MP4, not AVI) can damage the file:
- Right-click the DAT file, then click " Rename ”.
- Select the data segment from the file name.
- Replace the dat segment with the appropriate file extension.
Method 2 of 3: Opening a Known DAT File on a Mac Komputer
Step 1. Find out the program used to create the DAT file
Unlike most other file types, DAT files can be created in any program. Therefore, you will need to know the program used to create the file so that you know which program can open it.
If you don't know the program used to create the existing DAT file, you'll need to find out what program to use before you can open the file
Step 2. Open the appropriate program
Click or double-click the icon of the program used to create the DAT file.
Step 3. Drag the DAT file into the program window
Click and drag the DAT file into the program window to open it.
Since Mac computers don't usually display DAT files as readable files, you can't open them using the “ File ” > “ Open ” on the selected program.
Step 4. Drop the DAT file
After that, the DAT file will be opened in the program you selected.
Step 5. Confirm the option to open the file if prompted
Occasionally, you will receive a warning that the contents of the file do not match the file extension (or something similar). In this situation, click the button “ Yes " or " Open ” to open the DAT file.
For example, when you open a DAT file that was created in Excel through Microsoft Excel, you may get a warning that the desired file is corrupt. However, you can still click the “ Yes ” to open it.
Step 6. Change the DAT file extension if necessary
If you don't want to have to drag the DAT file to the appropriate program every time you want to open it, you can change the extension. Keep in mind that you need to know which extension to use for the file because changing the extension to even a slightly different format (e.g. MP4, not AVI) can damage the file:
- Select the DAT file.
- Click the menu " File, then select " Get Info ” in the drop-down menu.
- Click the triangle icon next to the " Name & Extension " category.
- Uncheck the " Hide extension " box if necessary.
- Replace the dat extension with the appropriate file extension in the existing file name.
- Press the Return key, then click “ Use.extension ” when prompted (e.g. for XLSX documents, click the option “ Use.xlsx ”).
Method 3 of 3: Finding the Right Program
Step 1. Pay attention to the context of the file
You can determine which program to use to open the file based on the file's location or name.
- For example, if you find a DAT file in the " Adobe " folder, you might suspect that it needs to be opened using an Adobe program.
- If the file is in a folder that contains other system files on your computer, it's a good idea not to modify the DAT file. It is possible that the file is being used by a program or a built-in feature of the computer.
Step 2. Ask the file creator
If you received the DAT file as an e-mail attachment or from a download site, try contacting the person who sent or uploaded the file and ask what program they used to create the file.
This step may not provide an answer if you ask a question on a “crowded” forum or file-sharing site, but you can usually get an answer from a coworker or friend via email
Step 3. Open the DAT file in a text editing program
You can use your computer's built-in text editing program to view some (or all) of the contents of a DAT file:
- Windows - Open Notepad, then drag and drop the DAT file into the Notepad window.
- Mac - Open TextEdit from the " Applications " folder, then drag and drop the DAT file into the TextEdit window.
Step 4. Find information about the DAT file
You may see a line or two of text that determines the type of program used to open the file, depending on the file itself.
Even if you don't see a line of text regarding the specific program that needs to be used, you may be able to find a line indicating the file type (eg video or text) that matches the contents of the DAT file
Step 5. Try opening the DAT file using a common program
Programs like VLC Media Player, iTunes, Preview, and Notepad++ can be used to open a wide variety of file types without changing their content.
For example, VLC Media Player can open most video file extensions. You can download and use Notepad++ on Windows to open any text-based file
Step 6. Do a test run
Unfortunately, if you can't find the program that created the DAT file at this point, you'll have to try opening the DAT file using various programs on your computer. You can open the program, drag the DAT file into the program window, drop it, and wait for the file to open.
- If the file opens in a format the program recognizes, you've found the right program.
- If the program displays the DAT file as a string of characters it can't understand or won't open the file, the program you selected is not the right program.
Tips
- DAT files found in system folders (e.g. any folders stored in the " Program Files " folder on a PC or in the " ~Library " folder on a Mac) are usually used automatically by the programs used to create them so you don't need to try to open those files.
- BBEdit is an alternative to Notepad++ for Mac computers that can be used to open anything from text files to PHP files. This program helps you find out the associations in the DAT file you want.
