It is also very important not to delete “dat” files without careful consideration. As these files are present in system directories, deleting them or even renaming them might make your PC unbootable because the OS or application program will expect the files to be there as it is.
How do “.dat” files work
Dat files usually work alongside DLL files. They contain configuration settings and other information necessary for a program to run. Depending on what data they contain, their structure will vary.
For example, if the dat file opens in a media player, it will likely be in video file format. Some email programs also make use of dat files. Even some games save data in the form of dat files, such as a player’s progress and other statistics about the game.
When are you likely to come across “.dat” files
Here are some most likely cases where you can see .dat files:
You are likely to deal with dat files when you are dealing with a program’s settings. If you backup your email, it is likely that your email program will create .dat files in its proprietary format. Sometimes video is also shared in the form of .dat files. The smooth playback of such files depends on whether you have the appropriate codec installed on your PC.
How can you open dat file using a Text Editor Tool
All major operating systems come with a text editor preinstalled. If the dat file is fully made up of text, you can use any text editor to open it. If dat files are not associated with any particular program on your system, the operating system will ask you to select a program to open it. You can choose any text editor if you know that the .dat file contains data in the form of plaintext. This can be done by changing a program’s settings stored as a text in a .dat file. You can use a text editor to make changes without launching the program.
How to open Winmail. dat files
Email messages are often stored as .dat files by the email servers. You can use your email program to open such files. However, Winmail.dat files are not easy to open. Usually, you will need to have Microsoft Outlook installed to open Winmail.dat files. If you don’t have Outlook, you can choose to upload the file online at Winmaildat.com.
Opening a “.dat” file in iOS
While using iOS, you can use the “TNEF’s Enough” app, which will help you open dat files. It is a free app and doesn’t require a lot of space to install. Here is a step-by-step process for opening winmail .dat files in iOS: Step 1) First, visit the iOS store, After that, install TNEF’s Enough on your iOS device.
Step 2) Locate the Winmail.dat file you want to open Select it to open with TNEF’s Enough.
Step 3) Check the output You will check the file contents displayed in the app.
In Android, you can use the File Viewer for the Android app. It can be used to open other types of files as well.
Opening a “.dat” file in macOS
You can use TextEdit, which is a text editor for macOS. It is available and ready to use on your Mac. You don’t need to download or install anything extra. However, it might not appear in the dock by default. Here is a step-by-step process for opening .dat files: Step 1) Start Text editor software Launch TextEdit using its icon in the Applications folder.
Step 2) Select the .dat file Select File>Open and choose the dat file you want to open.
Note: You can also open a dat file that you might have stored in iCloud Drive.
Opening .dat file in an Android device
Here is a step-by-step process for opening .dat files in Android: Step 1) Visit the Google Play store After that, install File Viewer for Android on your Android device.
Step 2) Open the app once the File Viewer for Android is installed The app is meant to open a variety of file types so that you will get a welcome screen explaining the features of the app. You also need to grant permission to allow accessing the files.
Step 3) Select the .dat file Choose the “.dat” file which you wish to open. It will display the contents of the file.
How to open dat files in Excel
Certain dat files can be opened using Microsoft Excel as well. However, “.dat” files are not usually associated with Excel, so it is not as straightforward as opening an Excel worksheet/workbook.
Step 1) In the excel File menu, select the “Open” option.
Usually, Excel will present a directory from which you will be allowed to choose files stored in Excel’s native formats. These include “.xls”, “.xlsx”, etc.
Step 2) If the same folder contains “.dat” files
Then, you will need to change the “File type” drop-down to “All files”.
Otherwise, you might likely not see the dat file listed in the directory shown by Excel, even though the file exists there.
How to open video dat files
It is difficult to guess that a dat file can contain video also, unlike files stored in other formats, such as MP4, WMV, etc. Also, certain media players and mobile devices have no built-in support for playing such video content. You can use the same program to open such files. Your operating system will also notify you if you lack the appropriate codecs to watch the content. Here is a step-by-step process for opening .dat files in Windows: Step 1) Go to https://www.videolan.org/vlc/ Click on the “Download VLC” button.
Step 2) Open the setup application
Install the VideoLAN client .exe file on your PC. Step 3) Start the program From the main window Then select “Media” and then “Open File”. You should change the file type dropdown to “All files” for the dat file to appear in the directory as shown by VLC.
Step 4) After changing the file type Select the “.dat” video that you want to watch. The video file starts playing.
How to convert “.dat” files
Here are some methods to convert .dat files:
If you are sure that the dat file contains video, you can convert it to MP4. For this, tools like WinFF will help you convert the dat file to the MP4 format. For converting plaintext dat files to the CSV format, just rename the file extension. You don’t need to use any separate program for that. Similarly, in the case of HTML files, you can choose to open the particular dat file and save it with the HTML extension.
Different types of data can be stored in a “.dat” file
Here are a few types of data that you can find in a dat file:
Plain text: This method is used when the file is meant for human users to read instead of being opened automatically by the programs or OS. Program settings: On Windows systems, you will find many programs also using “.ini” files to store settings. Email attachments: This occurs mainly in those situations where Microsoft Outlook or Exchange Server is being used for the transmission of mail. Images: This is not very popular, but you can save images as dat files.
FAQ:
⚡ Can “.dat” files be Dangerous?
Dat files are not likely to have executable code in them, so they pose a very low risk. However, it is still advisable to obtain such files from trusted sources only because they might contain harmful attachments if the file is an email message.
❗ How can I join two or more dat files?
Very often, you will come across cases where you get a series of reference dat files when you might be expecting only 1 of them. This mostly happens when the total amount of data is too large to be sent as a single file. Such as restrictions placed on the size of email attachments/videos etc. These files are split, and therefore you need to combine them. In case the files contain video content, you can use tools like FFmpeg and VCDgear to join them together.
❓ What is Bootstat.dat?
It is a log file used by Windows systems to check whether the last attempt at booting up the system was successful or not. If the last boot attempt was not successful. It might indicate a problem with the system, and the disk likely needs to be checked for any errors.
💻 Can I delete .dat files?
As far as dat files which contain video or email messages are concerned, you can safely delete them if you no longer need the data. However, if you are dealing with files that have program settings and files protected by the operating system, it is better to leave them as it is. Otherwise, it can result in your PC malfunctioning.
