Program data
File type: System file, Various data file
Files with dat file extension are commonly found in a variety of applications and in most cased used to identify files that contain application data resources or similar data.
Found 15 different file type records with the same dat filename suffix.
File type category:
System file
Various data file
Date updated: June 27, 2025
File extension dat is traditionally used by many various applications or programs for their data or resource files.
Data files cannot be opened directly in an application, they often contain data for internal purposes only. Different formats sharing the same file extension.
Most notably, the dat file extension was and still is commonly used for system files in MS-DOS and Windows operating systems. For example the Windows/System32 folder in latest Windows 10 is still full of various .dat files.
But overall, a .dat file may be anything. If you are unsure about the origins of your .dat file, first and foremost run some antivirus software. Once you know the file is safe, use FileAlyzer to determine the origin of your file.
Generally speaking, .dat files are not meant to be opened directly. They just contain resources for the program from which originate.
With few notably exceptions, most .dat files are not meant to be converted to anything else.
FileAlyzer (Microsoft Windows)
File type category:
Graphics file
Date updated: November 6, 2023
File extension dat is also used for one of the embroidery file formats utilized in sewing and stitching machines made by Barudan.
Barudan offers embroidery equipment from single to fifty-six-head machines including sequin and chenille, plus embroidery design software.
DAT format is also used for alternative embroidery design used in the Korean SunStar machines. Probably different format, but supported in Embird for example as well.
Embroidery software might be able to open this DAT format.
Some embroidery editors or converters might be able to convert it to another embroidery format.
Embird Embroidery Software (Microsoft Windows)
Embroidermodder 2 (Multiplatform)
Embroidermodder 2 (Multiplatform)
Embird Embroidery Software (Microsoft Windows)
Embroidermodder 2 (Multiplatform)
File type category:
Various data file
Date updated: September 30, 2024
The file extension dat is also associated with the Bitcoin P2P payment service, which operates without a central authority or banks. The network collectively manages transactions and issues bitcoins.
This specific wallet.dat file stores transaction data and all other related information (keys, metadata, options) about your Bitcoin activity. It contains:
By default, the Bitcoin wallet.dat file and other related data are stored in:
C:\Users\"user"\AppData\Roaming\Bitcoin\
At first start of Bitcoin app you will be prompted to set the place of Bitcoin data folder. Bitcon data folder can take about 20 GB of storage space.
If you need to create new Bitcoin data folder later: create a new folder on your hard drive, open command line, go to the folder where is Bitcoin Core installed:
C:\Program Files\Bitcoin
and type:
bitcoin-qt.exe --datadir=path\to\new\location
for example:
bitcoin-qt.exe --datadir=D:\mydata\bitcoindata
Use Bitcoin Core or similar tool to access .dat Bitcoin wallet files.
There is no need for this file type to be converted to anything else.
Bitcoin Core (Multiplatform)
Bitcoin Core (Multiplatform)
Bitcoin Core (Multiplatform)
Bitcoin Core (Multiplatform)
File type category:
Game file
Emulator file
Date updated: July 11, 2024
The dat file extension is commonly used for various data resource files for computer programs.
This extension is also frequently used in computer games. Usually many different formats sharing the same file extension, unless the game runs in the same game engine. Sometimes are used for saved game positions.
Some game *.dat files might be opened by Dragon UnPacker. Check the program website to check the list of supported games.
Generally speaking, there is no point in conversion of various DAT files from computer games. The only thing that is feasible is to extract the data with a tool that supports said formatt, like Dragon UnPacker.
Dragon UnPACKer (Microsoft Windows)
Dragon UnPACKer (Microsoft Windows)
OpenTTD (Microsoft Windows)
Far Cry Primal (Microsoft Windows)
LEGO Star Wars (Microsoft Windows)
Painkiller Overdose (Microsoft Windows)
Against Rome (Microsoft Windows)
Act of War (Microsoft Windows)
SimCity 4 (Microsoft Windows)
Pro Pilkki (Microsoft Windows)
Chuzzle (Microsoft Windows)
Legacy of Kain Defiance (Microsoft Windows)
Guild Wars (Microsoft Windows)
Star Wolves (Microsoft Windows)
Uplink (Microsoft Windows)
Diablo II (Microsoft Windows)
NASCAR Racing (Microsoft Windows)
Gunlok (Microsoft Windows)
Ricochet Lost Worlds: Recharged (Microsoft Windows)
Minecraft (Microsoft Windows)
Fahrenheit (Indigo Prophecy) (Microsoft Windows)
Blood 2: The Chosen (Microsoft Windows)
Aliens versus Predator 2 (Microsoft Windows)
No One Lives Forever (Microsoft Windows)
No One Lives Forever 2 (Microsoft Windows)
Sanity: Aiken's Artifact (Microsoft Windows)
SHOGO: Mobile Armor Division (Microsoft Windows)
Tron (Microsoft Windows)
Ricochet Xtreme (Microsoft Windows)
XZX-Pro (Linux/Unix)
X-COM: UFO Defense (UFO: Enemy Unknown) (Microsoft MS-DOS)
File type category:
Temporary file
Date updated: June 27, 2025
The dat file extension is also used by Microsoft Internet Explorer for files that contain cached data browsing data. This format was most likely used in some previous version of IE.
Each time you open a Web page, your browser creates a cache file (a temporary copy) of the page's text and graphics.
These files are not mean tto be opened directly.
Conversion to other formats is not possible.
Microsoft Internet Explorer (Microsoft Windows)
Microsoft Internet Explorer (Microsoft Windows)
File type category:
Disk image (ISO) binary file
Date updated: August 31, 2017
The dat file extension is also used by Nero BackitUp backup solution. Nero BackItUp automatically backs up your files quickly and easily to your choice of storage media, and creates bootable discs to restore your system if the worst happens.
The dat file contains drive image created by the program.
Runtime DriveImage XML program also creates disk images with the DAT file extension. That DAT format is however completely different for NeroBackitUp and not compatible.
Use Nero BackItUp to work with *.dat files.
Conversion to other formats is not possible.
Nero BackItUp (Microsoft Windows)
DriveImage XML (Microsoft Windows)
Nero BackItUp (Microsoft Windows)
Nero BackItUp (Microsoft Windows)
Nero BackItUp (Microsoft Windows)
DriveImage XML (Microsoft Windows)
File type category:
Game file
Date updated: August 14, 2019
The dat file extension is associated with the Prince of Persia, an action platform computer game for MS-DOS, Macintosh, Atari ST, Apple II and various other platforms, developed by Brøderbund and Jordan Mechner and released in 1989.
The dat files store various game data, such as models, animations, maps of dungeons for Prince of Persia game.
Prince of Persia (Multiplatform)
File type category:
Various data file
Date updated: October 3, 2017
The dat file extension is used by Shareaza for Thumbnails. Thumbnails are reduced-size versions of pictures, used to make it easier to scan and recognize them, serving the same role for images as a normal text index does for words. Visual search engines and image-organizing programs normally use them, as do most modern operating systems or desktop environments, such as Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, KDE, and GNOME.
The dat extension files are not meant to be opened manually by the user.
You can try to rename it into txt file format, but it is not sure, if it works. Probably not.
Shareaza (Microsoft Windows)
File type category:
Audio and sound file
Date updated: October 9, 2017
The dat file extension is also used for files that contain Digital Audio Tape data.
Digital Audio Tape (DAT or R-DAT) is a signal recording and playback medium developed by Sony in the mid 1980s. In appearance it is similar to a compact audio cassette, using 4 mm magnetic tape enclosed in a protective shell, but is roughly half the size at 73 mm × 54 mm × 10.5 mm. As the name suggests, the recording is digital rather than analog.
DAT format has the ability to record at higher, equal or lower sampling rates than a CD (48, 44.1 or 32 kHz sampling rate respectively) at 16 bits quantization. If a digital source is copied then a .dat file will produce an exact clone, unlike other digital media such as Digital Compact Cassette or non-Hi-MD MiniDisc, both of which use lossy data compression.
Use compatible tools to work with *.dat files.
Compatible tools are able to export *.dat files to other formats.
File type category:
Graphics file
Date updated: June 23, 2025
The dat file extension is also used for SPOT image format.
SPOT is a system for implementing an unobtrusive, always-on-top interface-to-interfaces comprises a spot interface that is sufficiently small that it may lie unobtrusively over any open window such that it is always on top thereby enabling a user conveniently to access any available window without first having to return to a main window or close other open windows.
Use compatible tools to work with *.dat files.
Compatible tools are able to export *.dat files to other formats.
SPOT images (Microsoft Windows)
XnView MP (Multiplatform)
SPOT images (Microsoft Windows)
XnView MP (Multiplatform)
SPOT images (Microsoft Windows)
File type category:
Database file
Date updated: June 26, 2018
The dat file extension is used by the SWAT (Soil & Water Assessment Tool) for its database files.
SWAT databases include data about lands, tillage, pesticides, fertilizers, urban and septic.
Use SWAT to open *.dat database files.
Probably can be exported to other formats.
SWAT (Microsoft Windows)
SWAT (Microsoft Windows)
File type category:
Text file
3d graphics, CAD-CAM-CAE file
Date updated: February 1, 2019
The dat file extension is associated with Tecplot, a a family of visualization software tools developed by Tecplot, Inc.
The *.dat file contains text (ASCII) data from which the program can generate 3D data. Sometimes can also be found with TEC file extension.
These files can be converted to standard binary PLT format used by TecPlot with preplot.exe program located in the /bin folder inside the program folder. They can also be loaded directly to Tecplot and exported to another format.
Tecplot can open this type of *.dat files.
Use preplot.exe bundled together with Tecplot to convert it to a binary *.plt file from it.
Tecplot 360 (Microsoft Windows)
Tecplot 360 (Microsoft Windows)
File type category:
Various data file
Date updated: January 30, 2018
The dat file extension is used by some apps, such as Zoner Photo Studio, a picture image editing program for Windows.
The dat file stores thumbnail cache created by these apps.
Zoner Photo Studio (Microsoft Windows)
ALSee (Microsoft Windows)
WildBit Viewer (Microsoft Windows)
Zoner Photo Studio (Microsoft Windows)
ALSee (Microsoft Windows)
CodedColor PhotoStudio (Microsoft Windows)
WildBit Viewer (Microsoft Windows)
File type category:
Game file
Date updated: August 23, 2017
The dat file extension is associated with the Unreal Tournament, a first person shooter video game for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X (macOS) systems. It is remake of Unreal Tournament game from 1999.
The dat file contains some kind of data used by Unreal Tournament.
Unreal Tournament (Microsoft Windows)
File type category:
Digital video and movie file
Date updated: July 13, 2025
File extension dat has also been in the past related for its use Video MPEG movie file format.
A .dat files are stored on VCD (Video CD) optical disks.
Video is stored in MPEG1 video file format. VCDs were replaced by DVD and Blu-ray digital video formats.
VCDs are playable in most DVD and Blu-ray players as well as by multimedia players in computer.
Use compatible tools to playback .dat files.
Various converters are able to transform .dat video files to other video file formats.
Cyberlink PowerProducer (Microsoft Windows)
Cyberlink PowerDirector (Multiplatform)
Cyberlink PowerProducer (Microsoft Windows)
Cyberlink PowerDirector (Multiplatform)
Cyberlink PowerProducer (Microsoft Windows)
Cyberlink PowerDirector (Multiplatform)
VLC media player (Microsoft Windows)
Cyberlink PowerDVD (Microsoft Windows)
MPlayer (Microsoft Windows)
VLC media player for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
MPlayer for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Elmedia Player (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
VLC media player for Linux (Linux/Unix)
MPlayer for Linux (Linux/Unix)
Cyberlink PowerProducer (Microsoft Windows)
Cyberlink PowerDirector (Multiplatform)
Xilisoft DVD Creator (Microsoft Windows)
SUPER (Microsoft Windows)
AMV Video Convert Tool (Microsoft Windows)
Wondershare Video Converter for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
iPad Video Converter Factory Pro (Microsoft Windows)
DVR Converter (Microsoft Windows)
Wondershare Video Converter (Microsoft Windows)
Nero Video (Nero Vision Express) (Microsoft Windows)
Nero Recode (Microsoft Windows)
Wondershare DVD Creator for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Pavtube HD Video Converter for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
DVR Converter (Microsoft Windows)
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