How to open a .dta file
Quick, free ways to open Stata on any system.
A .dta file is a Stata Dataset. If double-clicking does nothing, your computer simply does not have an app that reads Stata yet. Here is how to fix that on each operating system, using free software wherever possible.
Open a .dta file step by step
- Confirm the file really is a .dta. Drop it into the WhatFileType file identifier, which reads its signature without uploading anything.
- On Windows, open it with Stata or R (haven).
- On Mac, use Stata or R (haven).
- On Linux, try Stata or R (haven).
- Still stuck? Convert the .dta to csv, which opens more widely.
Best apps to open .dta files
Windows
- Stata
- R (haven)
- Python (pandas.read_stata)
macOS
- Stata
- R (haven)
- Python (pandas)
Linux
- Stata
- R (haven)
- Python (pandas)
!
Before you open it: Safe. A .dta file is a dataset read by statistics software; it does not execute.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I open my .dta file?
Almost always because no installed app understands Stata. Install one of the apps above, or convert the file to a format your existing software already reads.
How do I open a .dta file without Stata?
pandas.read_stata() in Python or the haven package in R read .dta files directly, including labels. Both are free.
Why won't my .dta file open in my Stata version?
It was saved by a newer Stata. Ask the sender to use saveold to write an older format version, or read it with R/pandas, which handle most versions.