What is a .pdb file?
Palm Database / eBook · eBook · Palm, Inc. · 1996
A .pdb file is a Palm Database, the container used by old Palm handhelds and by several eBook formats (Palm Doc, eReader, Mobipocket). What a .pdb actually is depends on the type code stored inside it.
What is a .pdb file used for?
PDB is a wrapper, not one format: an 8-byte type and creator code at offset 60 says whether it is a Palm Doc book, an eReader book, a database or a Mobipocket file. There is no single magic number at the start.
For eBooks, Calibre reads most PDB variants and converts them to EPUB. Non-book PDBs may need the original Palm application.
How to open a .pdb file
The .pdb format opens in the following apps, grouped by operating system. If one app does not work, try another from the same list. For a step-by-step walkthrough, see how to open a .pdb file.
Windows
- Calibre
- Palm Desktop (legacy)
macOS
- Calibre
Linux
- Calibre
How to convert a .pdb file
You can convert a .pdb file to epub, mobi, txt using a conversion tool or the export menu of an app that opens it.
.pdb file signature (magic bytes)
Programs recognise a .pdb file by the bytes at the start of the file, not by its name. These are the signatures for PDB.
| Hex signature | Offset | Note |
|---|---|---|
| (no fixed signature) | 0 | no fixed header magic; an 8-byte type/creator sits at offset 60 |
See the full magic-numbers reference for every format.
Frequently asked questions
What is a .pdb file?
A .pdb file is a Palm Database, the container used by old Palm handhelds and by several eBook formats (Palm Doc, eReader, Mobipocket). What a .pdb actually is depends on the type code stored inside it.
How do I open a .pdb eBook file?
Use Calibre, which reads the common Palm Doc, eReader and Mobipocket PDB variants and converts them to EPUB.
Why are there different kinds of .pdb files?
PDB is a generic Palm container. A type code inside it decides whether it is a book, a database or app data, so two .pdb files can be unrelated.
Is a .pdb file the same as a database?
It can be. PDB means Palm Database; some hold eBooks, others hold app data. It is also, confusingly, an unrelated Microsoft debug format and a protein data format.
Related formats
Sources
Details on this page were checked against authoritative references: