A file with the .dat file extension is a generic data file that stores specific information relating to the plan that created the file. Some apps that use them are CCleaner, Porteus, and Minecraft. They might even testify up in your email as an attachment from a Microsoft Commutation Server.

What Is a DAT File?

In brusk, a DAT file contains of import data for software to handle. The information contained within a DAT file is normally either patently text or binary, although in rare cases yous might encounter them as the actual data of a video file for programs like VCDGear or CyberLink PowerDirector.

Many programs create, open, and reference DAT files. They designed only for utilise by the awarding and not to be opened manually by the user. Many games, like Minecraft, use DAT files to store chunks of levels, which are loaded on the fly as a player navigates throughout the level.

How Do I Open a DAT File?

Considering it's difficult to tell whether the DAT file you lot're dealing with contains text, pictures, videos, or config files for software on your computer, how you lot open a file will vary depending on what data it contains. Most of the time, though, DAT files are in patently text format, and y'all tin can open up those with any standard text editor.

Using a Text Editor

Nosotros're using Notepad++ for Windows equally an example hither, but yous tin can open a DAT that contains text with whatsoever text editor, no affair what operating system you're using. The process might be a bit dissimilar for opening the file, but it'south non complicated.

In Windows, right-click DAT file you want to open and and then click the "Open With" control.

In the "Open up With" window, choose the text editor you desire to use then click the "OK" push.

Provided the file yous opened is text-based, you should be able to read the contents.

If you lot tried to open a file that doesn't contain manifestly text, you might come across a lot of "NUL" references and some obscure characters.

How-to Open Winmail.dat Files

Sometimes electronic mail servers—Microsoft Outlook in particular—can sometimes automatically convert an email into the DAT format. Sometimes if the recipient of a message created in Outlook isn't using Outlook themselves, they'll simply get a winmail.dat file as an zipper instead of existence able to view the full message. A straightforward way to open the file, without getting your contact to resend the email in HTML format, is to use Winmaildat.com.

After downloading the DAT file from your electronic mail, head over to Winmaildat.com and click the "Choose File" button. Locate the DAT file and and so click "Open up."

Afterward the file gets uploaded, click "Start" and the website will analyze the file.

The Result page shows everything the DAT file contains. Clicking an item downloads information technology to your reckoner, where you tin can open it to view its contents.

Keep in mind that because most DAT files are used inside specific programs to store program settings, they probably aren't meant to exist opened manually. This ways you won't be able to read whatsoever of the information that'south independent inside the file using a normal text editor. And even if you can read the data, at that place'southward normally not much you can do with information technology anyhow.