System & temporary files · .dat
What Is a DAT File?
A .dat file is a generic data file whose contents depend on the app that made it.
- Extension
- .dat
- Full name
- Data file
- Type
- System file
Free DAT Tools
These run in your browser. Your DAT files are never uploaded.
About DAT Files
DAT is used by countless programs for data in their own formats, so there's no single way to open one. It might be text, a video from an old Video CD, a game save, or a winmail.dat attachment from Outlook containing the real files of an email. Check the file's real type with the File Info tool, or think about where it came from.
How to Open a DAT File
- Any device
- Use the File Info tool to identify it, or open it in a text editor to see if it's readable.
- A winmail.dat attachment can be extracted with a TNEF viewer such as Winmail Opener.
DAT File Questions
What is winmail.dat?
Outlook sometimes sends attachments in a special format named winmail.dat. A TNEF viewer extracts the real files.
How do I find out what a DAT file is?
The File Info tool reads its first bytes to identify common formats.