Extract text from Atari ST executables (TOS)
To convert TOS executables to another format, you need Hatari or other Executable software.
To convert other file formats to the "Motorola 68k Binary" file type, you need software like Hatari or a similar tool.
The .tos extension primarily represents an Atari ST Executable Program, a legacy binary format designed for the Motorola 68000 processor found in 1980s Atari computers. Unlike modern EXE files, these cannot run natively on Windows or macOS. Users typically encounter them when trying to play retro games or run vintage software like Cubase (original version). The biggest obstacle is compatibility: opening a .tos file directly results in a 'file format not recognized' error. To 'convert' or use these, you do not change the file structure; instead, you must run them inside an emulator like Hatari or STEem, which virtualizes the Atari hardware.
A secondary, modern use of .tos (approx. 15%) is for Unity Game Save data, specifically for The Escapists 2 by Team17. These files store encrypted or serialized player progress (inventory, stats, prison layout). Users often seek to convert these files to JSON or XML to edit stats (cheating) or fix corrupted saves. However, because they use binary serialization from the Unity engine, they are not human-readable without a dedicated save editor or hex viewer.
Convert.Guru analyzes your TOS file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted MATRIX, DLR and EEE files.
If you want to convert TOS file to , you can use Hatari or similar software from the "Atari ST Executable Program" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert files to TOS, try Hatari or another comparable tool in the "Atari ST Executable Program" 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 TOS converter.