BAK files don’t work the same way as the other files. You cannot open the.bak file of specific software in another one, because every software makes their own specific.bak file for its own use. To show you how it works with a different application, we will demonstrate two methods of two different applications. How to open a.bak file? Since we said that a.bak file can be created by different software systems and if you do not have any information about the origin of the file or the program that it was created from, then you need to pass through some additional steps in order to get the information from the backup file. My AutoCAD Book: PC Sponsor/Powered By @XI Computer: Check them out for your Custom CAD PC!Twit. In general, you can open a.bak file by changing the file extension. For example, if the bak file is a backup file of an MS Word document, you can change the extension from.bak to.doc or.docx, and then you can use MS Word to open the bak file. Similarly, you can easily open a bak file by changing its extension to.dwg.jpg, and so on. 🔴 Can't open a.bak file? When you double-click a file to open it, Windows examines the filename extension. If Windows recognizes the filename extension, it opens the file in the program that is associated with that filename extension. When Windows does not recognize a filename extension, you receive the following message.

1. Open .bak File Autocad
2. Open .bak File In Visual Studio
3. Open .bak File In Excel

Creating BAK file has been set up as the fault configuration of many software, especially the programming, drawing, and design software. The advantage of it is that when the source file is accidentally deleted or when the software automatically exits due to the software's own bugs, you can also continue editing on the basis of the backup file. Otherwise, the previous sweat can only be lost, which reduces the loss caused by many misoperations. So what is BAK file exactly? How to open and preview BAK file? Please read on to get more information about it.

Part 1. What is .bak File?

BAK is a file extension for a specific file format, which is generally used as a backup file or a copy of another file. Specifically. the .bak file can be created by automatic backup when the application is edited, overwritten, etc. as part of the autosave process. For example, it happens when a program or application is updated, and you can choose to turn off automatic backup in the program as needed. Besides, the BAK file can also be created by many programs, such as Android Manager, Phone Transfer and so forth. When you backup your Android messages or contacts to your desktop computer, you can select '.bak' as the target format.

To better understand, you can connect the BAK file and other other format files. For example, the .doc stands for Word documents and .xls is excel spreadsheet format. It is for the same reason that .bak stands for backup file. So, if you want to know where to look on someone else's computer to see if their information is already backed up, you may want to look in their desktop or laptop computer to obtain this information.

Now, you probably have known that many files can be saved as BAK files even though you have not noticed them. You can also manually add a .bak file extension to create a BAK file by yourself. However, please be aware that the .bak file cannot be opened without any settings. So if you want to open a .bak file on your desktop computer, you can do the following by following the instructions below.

You May Also Like:Export/Save Android Phone Contacts to Excel (CSV & XLS)s

Part 2. How to Open & Preview Backup File with BAK Format?

In general, you can open a .bak file by changing the file extension. For example, if the bak file is a backup file of an MS Word document, you can change the extension from .bak to .doc or .docx, and then you can use MS Word to open the bak file. Similarly, you can easily open a bak file by changing its extension to .dwg, .jpg, and so on. However, what is worth mentioning is that if the bak file is encrypted, this solution may not be useful here because you will only see a mess in the file.

In addition, if you don't know what the original program is, you need to find an app to help you open it for previewing. Here, the Free File Viewer is recommended here for your reference, which allows you to open and view up to 200 types of files on your desktop computer as needed.

Part 3. How to Restore & Preview Backup File with BAK Format?

Now that BAK file is possibly generated by Android Manager and transfer tool, if you want to see the information in a .bak file extension, you can use the same software to open and preview the .bak file. For instance, if the .bak file was created when they user used the Android Manager, the BAK file can also be opened and reviewed by the user with the Android Manager. Here in this part, this article will show you how to use the Android Manager program to help you create, restore, open and preview a BAK file.

It is a safe and easy-to-use Android data manager, which provides Android users with the convenient Android data managing, backup & restore solutions. First of all, you should download a suitable version according to your computer's operation system.

Here's how to do:

Step 1. Simply run the Android Manager after you installed it, connect your Android device to the computer with USB cable. For the first time you have your Android connected to this computer, please enable USB debugging on your device as prompted, making it successfully recognized.

And you now can see the primary window of program. Just click 'Super Toolkit' from the top menu.

Step 2. Click 'Restore' option in the main screen, click 'Add Folder' to browse your computer drive to locate the BAK backup file you want to preview and select 'View' button to preview them before restoring. (This function will come soon.)

You can even click 'Restore' button to restore the BAK backup file and save it to your Android device.

See Also:Transfer Text Messages from Android to CSV File

Part 4. How to Create A .bak File?

To create a BAK file is to create a safe backup of your important file. So how to create a BAK file of Android data with Android Manager? You have 2 ways to make it as follows.

Download the Android Manager at first if you haven't.

After making your Android phone recognized by Android Manager successfully (such as Step 1 in the last part), you can choose either way of the follows.

Way 1: Create A Backup File for All Android Files

- Go to 'Super Toolkit' section and hit 'Backup' option.

- Choose your Android phone and choose the files you want to backup, such as contacts, apps, call logs, text messages, music, videos, photos, books.

- Click 'Browse' to choose the location where you want to store the backup file on computer, and click 'Back Up' button to complete the process.

Thus a BAK file that contains the files you have selected will be saved on computer. When you need to preview it, use the above way to do so.

Way 2: Create A Backup File for Android Contacts & Messages

- Go to 'Contacts' or 'SMS' tabs on the main interface.

- Tick off one or more contents you want to backup.

- Click 'Export' > 'Export to BAK File' to save them to computer as a .bak file.

Tips: You can backup Android SMS as HTML for printing if you need.

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Q 1:Does anyone know how to open the SQL .bak file in Excel? I'm new to SQL, and I'm not quite familiar with SQL query. It always takes me so long to access the SQL file. Is it possible to open the SQL .bak file in Excel in a simple way?

Q 2:Can I check the SQL .back file when SQL database corrupted? Can I open it in Excel file and restore the .bak file into SQL?

Most new MS SQL administrators all have the same feeling that it's complex to use SQL queries or SQL application to check or open specific SQL .bak files.

Also, sometimes, when the SQL database corrupted, the request for restoring .bak file to SQL Server makes some new administrators confused.

If you are one of these new Administrators, who are having issues with opening SQL .bak file in Excel, select reliable methods in the following two parts to resolve your issue with ease.

Part 1. 3 Ways to Open SQL .BAK File in Excel

Before you start, locate the directory of .bak file on your SQL Server computer. Here is the default path where SQL Server saves the .bak file:

• Program Files > Microsoft SQL Server > MSSQL 1.0 > MSSQL > BACKUP
• C:Program FilesMicrosoft SQL ServerMSSQL10.MSSQLSERVERMSSQLBackup

Let's see how to open your SQL database backup file in Excel with below three methods:

Way 1. Manually Convert SQL .bak to Excel

Note: This method is provided by a third-party website as a quick way to convert .BAK file to Excel.

And you may try this way to open your SQL Server .bak file in Excel.

Let's start:

Step 1. Locate and find the SQL .bak file on your local drive.

If you didn't see the .bak file in the above provided location, run below command in SSMS to find the directory of your SQL database backup file - .bak:

Step 2. Copy and save the .bak file to another secure device.

Step 3. Open File Explorer > View > Options > uncheck 'Hide Extensions for Known File Types' and click 'OK'.

Step 4. Open the device with copied SQL database backup .bak file and right-click on it.

Step 5. Select 'Rename' > change the '.bak' file extension into '.xls' or '.xlsx'.

Step 6. Double-click the renamed file and open it in Excel.

Then, you can check the SQL .bak data in an Excel spreadsheet and even edit the database as you wish.

Way 2. Restore .BAK to SQL Server and Export Database to Excel

This method includes two process - 1. You need to restore the .bak database backup file into SQL Server; 2. Export the restored database into Excel.

Here are the detailed guidelines:

# 1. Restore .BAK to SQL Server via SQL Server Management Studio

Follow the below steps to restore a .bak file with SQL Server Management Studio:

Step 1. Open SSMS (SQL Server Management Studio), right-click on the database where you want to restore the .bak data to and select 'Tasks' > 'Restore' > 'Database'.

Step 2. Click the three dots button next to the 'From device' section, browse to choose the .bak file saved on your local drive.

Step 3. Click 'Add' to specify the exact location where you saved the .bak file, select it and click 'OK' to confirm.

Step 4. Tick 'Full Database Backup' and 'Transaction Log Backup', click 'OK' to confirm.

When the restore process completes, click 'OK' to finish.

Note: If the .bak file contains the backup of your SQL database, the whole process also works to restore your corrupted SQL Server database from backup.

# 2. Export Restored .bak File - SQL Database to Excel

SQL Server Management Studio, with its Import and Export Wizard, enables you to export the restored .bak file - SQL database into Excel.

Be careful with below manual steps to export SQL database:

Step 1. Open SQL Server Management Studio and log in with your administrator account.

Step 2. Go to Object Explorer, right-click any database that you wish to open in Excel and select 'Tasks' > 'Export Data...'.

Step 3. Enter the SQL Server Import and Export Wizard, click 'Next' to continue.

Step 4. Choose a data source from which you want to copy data as shown below and click 'Next' to continue:

• Data source - SQL Server Native Client 11.0
• Server name - SQL Server from which data need to be copied
• Authentication - Use Windows Authentication as the data source connection
• Database - Choose database which you've restored from the .bak file.

Step 5. Choose a destination to copy database data to Excel and click 'Next' to continue:

• Destination - Microsoft Excel
• Excel file path - Choose the destination for copied data from SQL Server data source
• Excel version - specify the Excel version that you are using on your PC

Step 6. Specify Table Copy or Query - select 'Copy data from one or more tables or views', click 'Next' to continue.

Step 7. Select Source Tables and Views - select the exact tables and views that you want to open in Excel, and click 'Next' to continue.

You can also select a specific table and click 'Preview' to check the data in advance.

Step 8. Select 'Run immediately' on the Save and Run Package, click 'Next' to continue.

Step 9. Click 'Finish' on the Complete Wizard.

Step 10. Click the Report drop-down button and select 'Save Report to File...' to continue.

Step 11. Choose Excel as the target file, and then you can open the exported SQL database in Excel.

Way 3. Use Third-Party SQL .BAK to Excel Convert Tool

On some open source websites, some developers also generate a third-party SQL .bak to Excel converter tool.

It's easy and practical to convert the SQL .bak file into Excel. If you want to try this tool, search online, and you'll get it.

For example, SQL to Excel convert.

Part 2. Repair Corrupted SQL Database without .BAK File (Database Backup)

In Way 1 #1, the restoring process of .bak file to SQL Server via SSMS can help to restore corrupted or deleted database to SQL.

However, if you accidentally deleted records in SQL database or the SQL database corrupted for some reason, what will you do?

How will you bring back the deleted records or repair the corrupted database? Fortunately, a professional SQL recovery tool can help.

EaseUS MS SQL Recovery, with its powerful feature, can effectively bring your lost database records back.

It supports all versions of MS SQL Servers, including SQL Server 2017/2016/2014/2012/2008.

Follow the detailed guide below to repair your corrupted SQL Server database with ease:

Step 1: Select the corrupted database for recovery

• Launch EaseUS MS SQL Recovery.
• Select the corrupted database file by clicking 'Browse' (the two dots) or 'Search'.
• After selecting the file, click the 'Repair' button to start the Analyzing process.

Note: To use this software, you need to stop the SQL Server service.

Step 2: Repair the corrupted database

• The software displays all the recoverable items in a tree-like structure. The items are shown in a left pane.
• Select the desired component to be recovered. From the window, click the 'Export' button.

Open .bak File Autocad

Step 3: Export to the database or as scripts

• Choose to export the database objects to database or export the items as scripts
• If you choose 'Export to database', enter the information required and choose the target database.

Open .bak File In Visual Studio

• A window appears up asking you to provide credentials to connect to the server and the destination to save the recovered items. In order to begin the repairing process, click 'OK'.

Open .bak File In Excel

Note: Before clicking 'OK', you need to restart the SQL Server service.