Extract text from MATLAB and material files (MAT)
To convert MAT files to another format, you need MATLAB or other Data software.
To convert other file formats to the "Workspace or Material File" file type, you need software like MATLAB or a similar tool.
The .MAT file extension primarily represents either a MATLAB workspace data file or a 3D material asset file used by modeling software and game engines. In scientific and engineering contexts, MathWorks MATLAB uses .MAT files to store complex, multi-dimensional matrices, variables, and workspace functions. The massive disadvantage of this format is its proprietary, closed-ecosystem nature. These files cannot be opened by standard text editors or web browsers, and natively viewing them requires an expensive, heavy software installation. Furthermore, because older versions use custom binary structures and newer versions use a complex HDF5 wrapper, data extraction is notoriously difficult for non-programmers.
Similarly, when used as a 3D material file by Unity, Unreal Engine, or Autodesk 3ds Max, a .MAT file is locked to its specific rendering engine. A material exported from Unity is essentially useless in 3ds Max because the shader logic does not translate.
To make your data universally accessible, convert MATLAB .MAT files to CSV for spreadsheet analysis in Excel, or to JSON for use in web applications. Note that multi-dimensional data will be flattened during this process. For 3D materials, you will often need to extract the raw texture images (like PNG or JPG) or convert the material definition into a standard format. Drop your file here to view and convert it securely right in your browser.
Convert.Guru analyzes your MAT file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted M, ZIP, MLX, FIG, TXT, PKL, NPY, META, PDF, MATZ, CSV, CRDOWNLOAD and SLX files.
If you want to convert MAT file to CSV, PNG, TXT, XLSX, OBJ, FBX, DAE, 3DS, MAX, BLEND, MA or MB, you can use MATLAB or similar software from the "Scientific Data & 3D Materials" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert DWG, DAE, X3D, IGES, WRL, JT, SKP, 3DS, 3DM, OBJ, STEP or FBX files to MAT, try MATLAB or another comparable tool in the "Scientific Data & 3D Materials" 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 MAT converter.