How to Edit a Dat File

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Files that end with the .dat extension are generic data files that store content like plain text, game data, or user-level data. If the contents of the DAT file are plain text, you can open and edit it in a text editor like Notepad or TextEdit. [1] If the DAT file contains special characters, such as Minecraft level.dat files, you'll need to use a special editor. This wikiHow teaches you how to use a text editor, or one of two NBT editors (NBTExplorer and webNBT) to modify the contents of a DAT file.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Using a Text Editor

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  1. If your mouse doesn't have a right mouse button, hold down the Ctrl key as you click.
    • This method will only work if your DAT file contains plain text.
  2. This opens the file for editing in your text editor. [2]
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  3. If the file contains plain text, you'll usually be able to tell which application was used to make it. Sometimes, even if it's filled with unreadable characters, a DAT file will include some text that provides clues as to what type of file it is.
    • If you see an application name in the DAT file, you may be able to use that application to open the file. Close Notepad or TextEdit without making changes, then right-click the DAT file again, select Open With , and choose the application.
    • If you see something about "video" in DAT file, you may be able to open the DAT with a video player like VLC Media Player.
    • If you use NotePad or TextEdit to edit a DAT file with unreadable characters and then save it, it will break the DAT file, making it unusable even if you opened it in the correct program.
  4. If you edit the DAT file in your text editor, you can save your changes by clicking the File menu and selecting Save .
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Using NBTExplorer

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  1. NBTExplorer is a free Windows app that lets you edit the contents of some DAT files that can't be edited with text editors. This includes Minecraft files that end with the .dat file extension, such as level.dat, servers.dat, and (playername).dat. [3]
    • While NBTExplorer is technically available for macOS as well, it hasn't been updated in a long time and might not install properly on your Mac. Use webNBT instead.
    • To install on Windows, go to https://github.com/jaquadro/NBTExplorer/releases , click NBTExplorer-2.8.0.msi , and then click Save (if prompted). Then, double-click the downloaded file and follow the on-screen instructions to install.
  2. If you know which application on your computer uses this DAT file, you'll need to close the app before you can edit the DAT file. For example, if you want to edit a Minecraft DAT file, close Minecraft now.
    • Make a copy of your DAT file before you start editing in case the changes you make break the file.
  3. It's in the Start menu on your PC.
  4. The File menu is at the top-left corner of NBTExplorer.
  5. This opens the DAT file for editing. [4]
  6. First, you can't use NBTEditor to edit the file like you would a text file. Instead, you can select values and change the numbers or text associated with them to create different outcomes in the application that uses the file. To edit a value, double-click it, replace the number with the one you want to insert, and then click OK . [5]
  7. This saves your changes to the DAT file. The next time you open the application that uses that file, it will reflect your changes.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Using webNBT

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  1. Go to https://irath96.github.io/webNBT in a web browser. If you prefer not to download a Windows app (or are using macOS) and want to edit a Minecraft DAT file (or other NBT DAT file) online, this free online DAT editor lets you drag and drop DAT files for editing. [6]
  2. If you know which application on your computer uses this DAT file, you'll need to close the app before you can edit the DAT file. For example, if you want to edit a Minecraft DAT file, close Minecraft now.
    • Make a copy of your DAT file before you start editing in case the changes you make break the file.
  3. You can also click the Choose File button and select the file from your computer.
  4. It's not possible to edit the DAT file like a text file. Instead, you can select values and change the numbers or text associated with them to create different outcomes in the application that uses the file.
    • Double-click a value in the left panel to see the options inside.
    • To rename a value, right-click the value and select Rename .
  5. After making changes, you can save and download the edited version of your file. Just click Save at the top, and save the new version to your computer.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    What programs open a DAT file?
    Yaffet Meshesha
    Computer Specialist
    Yaffet Meshesha is a Computer Specialist and the Founder of Techy, a full-service computer pickup, repair, and delivery service. With over eight years of experience, Yaffet specializes in computer repairs and technical support. Techy has been featured on TechCrunch and Time.
    Yaffet Meshesha
    Computer Specialist
    Expert Answer
    DAT files are just text, so any program that can edit text should be able to open it in most cases. If you don't have a program that does this, Notepad++ is a pretty good free option.
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    Not Helpful 34 Helpful 5
  • Question
    What are DAT files?
    Yaffet Meshesha
    Computer Specialist
    Yaffet Meshesha is a Computer Specialist and the Founder of Techy, a full-service computer pickup, repair, and delivery service. With over eight years of experience, Yaffet specializes in computer repairs and technical support. Techy has been featured on TechCrunch and Time.
    Yaffet Meshesha
    Computer Specialist
    Expert Answer
    DAT is just shorthand for "data file." They're just files that contain information pertinent for files.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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  • Question
    How read .dat file with Notepad or Wordpad?
    Gamer32KBSHG
    Community Answer
    To open a .dat file in Windows using a text editor like Notepad or WordPad, follow these steps: Right-click on the .dat file you want to open. Select “Open With.” Choose the text editor you want to use (e.g., Notepad). Click “OK.” If the .dat file contains text-based data, you’ll be able to read its contents. Otherwise, you might see NUL references and incomprehensible characters. If you need to run it with Visual Studio IDE, you’ll need to convert it into an executable file. However, keep in mind that a .dat file is typically not an executable; it usually contains data for an application.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/dat-file-how-to-open-the-dat-file-format-extension/
      2. ↑ https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/dat-file-how-to-open-the-dat-file-format-extension/
      3. ↑ https://shockbyte.com/help/knowledgebase/articles/how-to-use-nbtexplorer-to-edit-minecraft-world-data
      4. ↑ https://shockbyte.com/help/knowledgebase/articles/how-to-use-nbtexplorer-to-edit-minecraft-world-data
      5. ↑ https://shockbyte.com/help/knowledgebase/articles/how-to-use-nbtexplorer-to-edit-minecraft-world-data
      6. ↑ https://github.com/iRath96/webNBT/blob/master/README.md

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Right-click the DAT file and select Open With .
      2. Select Notepad or TextEdit .
      3. Make changes to the file.
      4. Click the File menu and select Save .

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