Extract text from BAK files
To convert your BAK file to another format, you need AutoCAD or other Backup software.
To convert other file formats to the "Generic Backup File" file type, you need software like AutoCAD or a similar tool.
A .BAK file is a generic extension used by hundreds of software applications to designate a backup copy of a file, meaning the internal structure varies entirely depending on the software that created it. The most prevalent types are AutoCAD drawing backups (exact copies of DWG files) and Microsoft SQL Server database backups.
A major drawback of .BAK files is their ambiguity; the operating system cannot natively determine which program to launch because the extension describes the file's function (backup) rather than its format. For SQL Server backups, the data is locked in a proprietary binary archive that requires a running server instance to restore, making it inaccessible for quick viewing or data extraction. For AutoCAD backups, users often lack the expensive licensing required to simply view an old version of a drawing. Furthermore, mobile backups (like Xiaomi MIUI or Android) are often proprietary containers incompatible with PC software.
To access the data, you must typically identify the source and either rename the extension or perform a formal restore process. AutoCAD backups should be converted to PDF for sharing or DXF for broad CAD compatibility. SQL backups are best converted to CSV or XLSX if you need to analyze specific table data without setting up a server. Generic document backups can often be restored to DOCX or PDF.
Convert.Guru analyzes your BAK file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted DWG, CDW, ZIP, PDF, BAC, DWL, BACKUP, BOOKMARKS, TXT, RAR, JPG, TMDX and BKP files.
If you want to convert BAK file to DWG, PDF, BACPAC, CSV, SQL, HTML, MDF, MP3, BACKUP, OLD, TMP or TEMP, you can use AutoCAD or similar software from the "Application Data Backup" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert SNAPSHOT, OLD, IMG, RESTORE, ISO, COPY, VMDK, TMP, VHD, ARCHIVE, BACKUP or RAR files to BAK, try AutoCAD or another comparable tool in the "Application Data Backup" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our BAK converter.