How to open a .db or .sqlite file
The .db extension promises nothing: it is used for a SQLite database from a mobile app, for a Paradox table from the nineties and for the Windows thumbnail cache. Before you look for software, it helps to understand what kind of file you actually have.
Free for personal use. If it is SQLite, it will open. If not, the app will tell you so. Windows version — 3.5 MB, no installation: details. Organizations: license.
How to tell it is SQLite
Every SQLite database starts the same way: the first 16 bytes of the file are the string SQLite format 3 followed by a zero byte. You can see it by opening the file in any hex viewer, or even in a plain text editor: at the very start there is readable text SQLite format 3, then a jumble.
The app recognises a database by this signature, so the extension does not matter: .db, .sqlite, .sqlite3, .db3 or a file with no extension all open the same way.
What else hides under .db
| File | What it is | What to do |
|---|---|---|
Starts with SQLite format 3 | a SQLite database | opens here as a table |
Thumbs.db | the Windows thumbnail cache | there is no data in it, no need to open it |
A Paradox table (.db next to .px, .mb) | an old Borland database | you need a program that knows Paradox; this format is not read here |
| An encrypted database | SQLCipher and similar: no signature at the start | cannot be opened by anything without the key |
How to open SQLite
The classic route is to install a program: DB Browser for SQLite, DBeaver or the command-line sqlite3. They can do everything, including changing the structure and writing to the database with queries, but they have to be installed, and on a work computer that is often not allowed.
If the goal is to see what is in the database and export a table, a browser is enough. Drag the file into the app window: the first table of the database opens, and the others can be chosen in the file parsing panel or opened all at once, one tab per table. After that you get filters, grouping, read-only SQL queries, value editing saved back into the same database, and export to Excel, CSV, DBF or SQL.
The file is not uploaded anywhere: parsing happens in the tab, and the page technically cannot send its contents to a third-party address.
The .db-wal and .db-shm files next to it
If files with the same name and the endings -wal and -shm sit next to the database, it runs in WAL journal mode: fresh changes are written to -wal first and only later moved into the main file. Drag the database into the app together with its -wal file — the journal is attached automatically and the latest changes become visible. -shm is not needed: it is a working index and the app skips it. An unfinished tail of the journal, if a program was interrupted mid-write, is ignored — just as in SQLite itself.
FAQ
Can I run an SQL query against the database?
Yes, read-only queries: Data → SQL query…. They are run by the official SQLite engine on a copy of the database inside the tab, and the result opens in a separate tab.
Will a database of several gigabytes open?
Yes. A table is read page by page: opening it only walks its structure, and rows are fetched as you scroll. An SQL query needs the whole database in memory, so it has a limit of 1 GB.
Why can't I see some tables?
SQLite's internal tables (sqlite_sequence and similar) are hidden. Views are in the list and open like tables — the SQLite engine runs them.
Free for personal use. Your file is not uploaded to a server. Windows version — 3.5 MB, no installation: details. Organizations: license.