How to Download a DAT File
Downloading a DAT file from the Internet can be accomplished in exactly the same way that downloading any file can be accomplished from the Internet. DAT files are created by a wide variety of programs and simply contain data of some form relevant to the particular program that created it. Therefore, it is important to have software compatible with the DAT file you wish to download so that you will be able to read it once you download it.
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Instructions
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Navigate to the website where the DAT file you wish you to download is available.
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Right click the DAT file's link.
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Select "Save as," then, either leave the name as it is displayed or choose a name for the file. Be sure to retain the .DAT extension on the file if you do rename it. Click "OK." The file will begin to download for you. Once it is finished downloading, just navigate to the place where it was downloaded (this is usually the download folder), right click it and select "Open with." Then, select the program that this particular DAT file works with.
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Tips & Warnings
It may be possible to avoid these steps entirely by simply clicking on the file's link. In some cases, the file will download automatically without any further intervention from you.
If you are planning to download a DAT file and are not certain which program it works with, it may be possible to read the file using Notepad. Since many DAT files are made using plain text, the file may be readable. Even if it is a binary file (it is not text and looks like gibberish), it may be possible to find some plain text in the binary that will give you a clue as to which program created the file and would therefore be able to read it.
Note that the instructions above apply for Windows Internet Explorer. Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and other browsers may vary slightly in their methods of download from the above, though the process should be fairly similar.
While DAT files are not usually targets for viruses, it is still important to scan the file after downloading it with your favorite virus detection software just in case. Especially if the file is binary rather than plain text, it could contain malicious code that can damage your computer. Do this before you do anything else with the DAT file you download.
