What is a .sqlite file?
SQLite Database · Data · D. Richard Hipp · 2000
A SQLite file is a complete SQL database stored in a single file. It is the most widely deployed database in the world, embedded in phones, browsers and countless apps, so a .sqlite or .db is usually an application's local data.
What is a .sqlite file used for?
SQLite is a self-contained, serverless database: instead of running a database server, an app just reads and writes one ordinary file that holds all the tables and rows.
That simplicity made it ubiquitous. Your phone, your browser's history and bookmarks, and a huge number of desktop and mobile apps all keep their data in SQLite files, often named .sqlite, .sqlite3 or just .db.
To look inside one, use the free DB Browser for SQLite, the sqlite3 command-line tool, or a database GUI like DBeaver. They let you browse tables and run queries.
It is a binary file, but well structured, and every file starts with the text 'SQLite format 3', which is how tools recognise it.
What opens a .sqlite file?
The .sqlite format opens in the following apps, grouped by operating system. If one app does not work, try another from the same list.
Windows
- DB Browser for SQLite
- DBeaver
- sqlite3 CLI
macOS
- DB Browser for SQLite
- DBeaver
- sqlite3 CLI
Linux
- DB Browser for SQLite
- sqlite3 CLI
- DBeaver
Web
- In-browser SQLite viewers
Open a .sqlite file step by step
- Confirm the file really is a .sqlite. Drop it into the WhatFileType identifier, which reads its signature in your browser without uploading anything.
- On Windows, open it with DB Browser for SQLite or DBeaver.
- On Mac, use DB Browser for SQLite or DBeaver.
- On Linux, try DB Browser for SQLite or sqlite3 CLI.
- Still stuck? Convert the .sqlite to CSV, which opens more widely.
Why can't I open my .sqlite file?
Almost always because no installed app understands SQLite. Install one of the apps above, or convert the file to a format your existing software already reads. If double-clicking opens the wrong program instead of nothing at all, the file association is set to the wrong app rather than the file being broken.
The other possibility is that the file is not really a .sqlite at all. Drop it into the file identifier to check it by its bytes instead of its name. Nothing is uploaded.
How to convert a .sqlite file
You can convert a .sqlite file to CSV, SQL, JSON using a conversion tool or the export menu of an app that opens it.
What is the .sqlite file signature (magic bytes)?
A .sqlite file starts with the hex bytes 53 51 4C 69 74 65 20 66 6F 72 6D 61 74 20 33 00, which read as SQLite format 3\0 in ASCII. Programs identify SQLite by those bytes, not by the filename, so a renamed file still gives itself away.
These are the documented signatures for SQLite. For a full breakdown, see the SQLite file signature page.
| Hex signature | Offset | ASCII | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 53 51 4C 69 74 65 20 66 6F 72 6D 61 74 20 33 00 | 0 | SQLite format 3\0 | 'SQLite format 3\0' |
See the full magic-numbers reference for every format.
Frequently asked questions
What is a .sqlite file?
A SQLite file is a complete SQL database stored in a single file. It is the most widely deployed database in the world, embedded in phones, browsers and countless apps, so a .sqlite or .db is usually an application's local data.
How do I open a SQLite file?
Use the free DB Browser for SQLite to browse its tables visually, or the sqlite3 command-line tool to run queries. Database GUIs like DBeaver open them too.
Is a .db file the same as a .sqlite file?
Often, yes. Many programs save their SQLite database with a .db extension. Not every .db is SQLite though, so check the first bytes: a SQLite file begins with 'SQLite format 3'.
Related formats
Sources
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