Tips to open BAK file

Can't open the BAK file? You are not the only one. Thousands of users face similar problems every day. Below you will find tips on how to open BAK files as well as a list of programs that support BAK files.

BAK file extension

File Name Backup Format
File Category Backup Files

The BAK file is supported on 2 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the BAK files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the BAK file on each system platform.

Operating systems
  • 3
  • 1
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is BAK file?

The .BAK file is a backup file. It is an informal type of saving a copy of a file in order to protect it against incorrect modification. It is usually created by appending a .BAK extension directly to the filename. .BAK files can apply to any file type and are usually created manually. Some programs (such as Microsoft SQL server) use this format. To restore the file copy, just remove the .BAK extension, making sure that the original file does not conflict with its name.

How to open BAK file?

An often recurring problem with Backup Format is that BAK is not associated with the correct program file. Thus, when you open BAK, the program selection wizard or some other program starts. How to solve such a problem?

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the BAK file icon you want to open. If the operating system has an appropriate application to support it and there is also an association between the file and the program, the file should be opened.

Step 1. Install Original program

The first step is to check if the computer has the Original program program installed. This can be achieved by typing Original program into the operating system search engine. If we do not have this program, it is worth installing it, as it will help you automatically associate the file BAK with Original program. Below you will find a list of applications that support BAK files.

Step 2. Create association of Original program with BAK files

However, it may happen that the application itself does not cause the BAK file to open in the Original program application, but you can set it manually. The association can be created using the drop-down list available by right-clicking on the file and selecting Properties. The window will show, among other things, the type of the file and the information by which the program is used to launch the file. Changes can be made using the "Change" button. If there is no software on the list, simply select "Browse" and manually select the directory where the application is installed. However, it is important to check the "Always use the selected program ..." box, this will allow you to permanently associate the BAK file with the Original program application.

Step 3. Update Original program to the latest version

The fault may also lie with the Original program program, it is possible that Backup Format requires a newer version of the program.

Step 4. Check for the following problems with the BAK file

If the above steps do not help, you can assume that the file itself is not correct. This could be due to the file itself, the cleanest issues are:

The affected file may be 0 KB or smaller than expected. Usually this applies to BAK files downloaded from the Internet in case the download did not finish properly. Downloading the file again should fix the problem.
The computer may have fallen victim to a computer virus or hacker. A quick virus scan using an up-to-date antivirus program should clear up any doubts. Alternatively, you can use the scanners available online. The scan should cover the entire computer, not only the BAK file that we want to open. Sometimes virus-infected BAK files cannot be recovered, so make a backup in advance.
This can happen especially when the program is dynamically developed and the structure of the BAK files changes over time. Help should be sought from the software developer, as they usually recommend using free file converters or installing an older version of the program.
There can be many reasons for this. Repairing is very dependent on the file type. Sometimes the program itself has options to repair the most popular BAK file corruption.
When reading, a message appears that the file was encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted file BAK except for the special designation, works normally, but only on the device where it was encrypted, before transferring it to another machine, decryption is required.
Some of the system directories are excluded from modification. These directories are write-protected to them and it's very hard to fix this problem. It is best to move BAK to a different directory.
This problem usually affects more complex files. In this case, the BAK file is blocked by the first application to open it. Running programs (including those in the background) should be verified. Sometimes you have to wait for the session to the file BAK to close. Some anti-virus or backup software may occupy the BAK file for a certain period of time. If nothing helps, please reset the device.