Extract text from iTunes CD information files (CIDB)
To convert CIDB CD info files to another format, you need Apple iTunes or other Database software.
To convert other file formats to the "iTunes CD Database Cache" file type, you need software like Apple iTunes or a similar tool.
A .cidb file is an iTunes CD Information File generated by Apple iTunes and Apple Music. Its primary function is to cache metadata for Audio CDs inserted into the computer, such as artist names, track titles, and album information, usually retrieved from the Gracenote CDDB database.
The main disadvantage of the .cidb format is that it is a proprietary, closed database file. It is strictly designed for internal use by Apple software and cannot be natively opened, read, or edited by users. Standard text editors will only display scrambled binary data. Furthermore, these files lock your metadata inside the Apple ecosystem.
Converting .cidb files directly to human-readable database formats like CSV, JSON, or TXT is highly recommended if you need to extract your CD library information. However, standard online converters fail to process this format because they do not understand Apple's undocumented database schema. It is a difficult file to handle because often only the original software can properly read or export the data.
However, you can still drop your file into convert.guru. Just drag and drop your file to identify the format, view the internal content, and extract raw text strings. If our analysis detects a supported underlying SQLite or embedded database structure, viewing or conversion may still be possible.
Use Convert.Guru to open and convert your CIDB file.
If you want to convert CIDB file to MP3, WAV, AAC, FLAC, OGG, WMA, M4A, AIFF, OPUS, ALAC, APE or WV, you can use Apple iTunes or similar software from the "CD Metadata Database Cache" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert MIDI, AAC, TTA, AU, WV, DTS, MID, FLAC, RA, MP3, PCM or WAV files to CIDB, try Apple iTunes or another comparable tool in the "CD Metadata Database Cache" 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 CIDB converter.