Extract text from BGL files
To convert your BGL file to another format, you need Microsoft_Flight_Simulator or other Game software.
To convert other file formats to the "Simulation Data" file type, you need software like Microsoft_Flight_Simulator or a similar tool.
The .BGL extension serves two distinct, incompatible purposes, creating significant confusion for users attempting to open them.
1. Flight Simulator Scenery File (Primary Use):
Most commonly, a .BGL file is a binary scenery or traffic file used by Microsoft Flight Simulator and compatible platforms like Lockheed Martin Prepar3D. These files contain compiled geospatial data, airport layouts, and terrain mesh.
The Problem: Because .BGL files are compiled binaries designed for machine performance, they cannot be opened or edited in text editors. Users frequently encounter version mismatches where a file built for FSX causes crashes in MSFS 2020.
The Solution: To edit scenery, you must convert (decompile) the .BGL back to XML source code using SDK tools or utilities like Bgl2Xml. Once edited, the XML is recompiled. For casual users, drag and drop the file to analyze its version and dependencies.
2. Babylon Glossary File:
Alternatively, .BGL files are proprietary dictionaries created for Babylon Translation Software. These contain indexed vocabulary and definitions.
The Problem: This format is heavily locked into the Babylon ecosystem. It is not natively supported by modern e-readers, open-source dictionary apps (like GoldenDict), or mobile devices.
The Solution: To use these dictionaries on other platforms, users convert .BGL to open formats like StarDict (.IFO/.DICT), CSV, or plain TXT using conversion utilities such as PyGlossary or Stardict-Editor.
Convert.Guru analyzes your BGL file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted AD4, ZIP, DICT, JSON, XML, RAR, GLB, BMP, HIF, MP4, PAK, DAT and APKG files.
If you want to convert BGL file to OBJ, XML, FBX, MDX, CSV, JSON, YAML, YML, TOML, INI, CFG or CONF, you can use Microsoft_Flight_Simulator or similar software from the "Flight Simulator Scenery Data" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert DBF, XML, SQLITE, XLSX, SQL, TSV, ACCDB, YAML, MDB, CSV, ODS or JSON files to BGL, try Microsoft_Flight_Simulator or another comparable tool in the "Flight Simulator Scenery Data" 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 BGL converter.