Extract text from Windows batch files (BAT)
To convert BAT batch files to another format, you need Windows Command Prompt or other Developer software.
To convert other file formats to the "Windows Batch File" file type, you need software like Windows Command Prompt or a similar tool.
The .BAT file extension denotes a Windows Batch File. These are unformatted plain text files that store a sequence of commands executed by the Windows Command Prompt (cmd.exe). System administrators and power users rely on them to automate repetitive system tasks, configure operating system settings, and launch applications. You can write and edit them with any basic text editor like Notepad++ or Visual Studio Code.
However, .BAT files have severe practical limitations. They are entirely platform-dependent; a batch script built for Windows will not run on macOS or Linux environments. Because they exist as plain text, anyone can read, copy, or modify your script, exposing proprietary logic or sensitive network paths. Furthermore, they lack the advanced programming constructs found in modern scripting languages and are aggressively flagged by email providers and antivirus engines due to high malware risks.
To solve these issues, you must convert them depending on your goal. To protect your source code and distribute the script as a standalone program, convert .BAT to EXE (Windows Executable). To modernize your automation with object-oriented capabilities, convert to a PowerShell script (PS1). For cross-platform reading and safe sharing over email, convert to a plain text file (TXT).
Convert.Guru analyzes your BAT file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted CMD, EXE, TXT, VBS, SH, ZIP, BET, PS1, PY, LNK, DLL, CBL and COMMAND files.
If you want to convert BAT file to EXE, PS1, BASH, MSI, APP, DMG, DEB, RPM, PKG, RUN, SH or CMD, you can use Windows Command Prompt or similar software from the "Command-line Scripting Automation" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert JAR, APP, SCR, IPA, COM, AAB, PS1, DMG, VBS, EXE, XAPK or MSI files to BAT, try Windows Command Prompt or another comparable tool in the "Command-line Scripting Automation" 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 BAT converter.