Aprire files .dat

Confirm that you want to view the file if prompted. In some cases, you'll receive a warning that the file's contents don't match its file extension or similar. For example, opening an Excel-created DAT file in Excel may result in a prompt warning you that the file may be corrupted. You can click Yes to open the file anyway. Change the DAT file's extension if necessary.

If you want to avoid having to drag the DAT file into its program every time you want to open it, you can change the file's extension. Keep in mind that you must know the exact extension used for the DAT file, as changing the extension to use even a slightly different format e. Select the dat portion of the file's name. Replace the dat section with the file's extension. Method 2. Drag the DAT file into the program's window. Click and drag the DAT file onto the program's window to do so.

Drop the DAT file. This will attempt to open the DAT file in your program. Click File , then click Get Info in the drop-down menu. Uncheck the "Hide extension" box if necessary. Replace the dat extension with your file's extension in the file's current name.

Method 3. Consider the context of the file. You may be able to figure out which program you're supposed to use to open the file based on where the file is stored or what the file is named. If the file is inside of a folder that contains other system files for your computer, it's probably best to leave the DAT file alone—it's probably used by your computer's built-in programs or features. Ask the file's creator. If you received the DAT file as an email message or from a download site, try contacting the person who sent or uploaded the DAT file and asking what program they used to create the file.

This is unlikely to yield much if you're asking on a crowded forum or a file-sharing site, but you should be able to get an answer out of a coworker or a friend via email. Open the DAT file in a text editor. You may be able to use your computer's built-in text editor to view some or all of the DAT file's contents: Windows — Open Notepad, then drag-and-drop the DAT file into the Notepad window.

Look for information about the DAT file. Depending on the DAT file, you may be able to see a line or two of text that determines the type of software used to open the file. Even if you don't see a line about the specific program you need to use, you might find a line that indicates the type of file e.

Try opening the DAT file in a general program. Use trial-and-error. Unfortunately, if you haven't been able to determine the DAT file's origin program by this point, you'll have to start attempting to open the DAT file with different programs on your computer.

You can do this by opening a program, dragging the DAT file onto the program's window, dropping it there, and waiting for the file to open. If the file opens in a recognizable format, you've found the correct program. If the program displays the DAT file as an incomprehensible jumble of characters or refuses to open the file, your selected program isn't the right program.

Did you know you can get expert answers for this article? Unlock expert answers by supporting wikiHow. Yaffet Meshesha Computer Specialist. Yaffet Meshesha. Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer. Not Helpful 2 Helpful 0. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. DAT files found in system folders e. Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0. This makes it useful for figuring out DAT file associations. If the program with which the DAT file was created isn't compatible with your computer, you'll need to use a different computer to open the DAT file.

You Might Also Like How to. How to. Computer Specialist. Expert Interview. About This Article. Co-authored by:. Co-authors: Updated: October 22, Categories: File Manipulation. Italiano: Aprire un File '. If you find a file with a. It can be anything like an email attachment as winmail. The information contained within the. In order to read or open a. In rare cases though, you can find. Most files have default programs that read and open the files , for example MP3 opens audio files, while plain text files are opened using TXT files, but with.

If you feel stuck with a. The easiest way to figure this out is by going back to how and where you got the. For text-based. In Windows, the native and basic Notepad text editor will help you, though there are other alternative programs that can replace Notepad. Not all. To open the.

If you received an email attachment in the form of a winmail. Once you download the. Find the. Once uploaded, click Start , allow the file to be analyzed. Check for the results in the Result page so you can see the contents of the. You can also click on it to download it to your computer and view everything the.

For video. You can also convert the.