Free online DB to TXT converter

A receiving system may accept only delimited text, or database records may need inspection in an editor or preservation as a portable text export. Exporting data rather than renaming the file produces usable TXT output.

What a DB file contains

.db is a generic filename extension, not one database format. It is commonly used for SQLite databases created by desktop applications, mobile apps, browsers, and embedded software, but it can also identify Berkeley DB, Palm databases, or proprietary application data.

A SQLite database stores tables, columns, indexes, relationships, and sometimes binary objects in database pages. Its first bytes normally contain SQLite format 3. If the file does not have that signature, identify it from the source application before attempting conversion; a SQLite tool cannot reliably open every .db file.

What TXT means

.txt contains character data, usually encoded as UTF-8. It has no native support for database tables, field types, indexes, constraints, relationships, or binary attachments.

Table data in a text file needs a record layout: comma-separated values (CSV), tab-separated values (TSV), pipe-delimited records, fixed-width fields, or a custom line format. CSV content can use a .txt filename when a receiving program requires that extension, but changing .csv to .txt does not alter the delimiter or quoting rules.

Exporting a SQLite DB file

For a SQLite database, use the SQLite command-line shell when a repeatable export is required. List available tables first:

sqlite3 input.db ".tables"

Export one table as quoted CSV with a header row:

sqlite3 -header -csv input.db "SELECT * FROM customers;" > customers.txt

The result is CSV-formatted text named customers.txt. CSV mode quotes values containing commas, quotation marks, or line breaks, making it safer than a raw separator-based export. Replace customers with the required table name, or select only required columns:

sqlite3 -header -csv input.db "SELECT id, name, created_at FROM customers;" > customers.txt

Use the exact delimiter and record rules required by the receiving system. A plain tab or pipe separator is suitable only when the target can handle separators and embedded line breaks correctly; otherwise, values can become ambiguous.

DB Browser for SQLite provides a desktop alternative: open the database, select the required table under Browse Data, then use File → Export → Table(s) as CSV file. Set the required delimiter and header option, then use a .txt filename only if the destination accepts the exported CSV-style content.

You can also convert a supported database file on 101convert.com for free without installing software. Confirm that the service identifies the database type and that its TXT output lets you select or verify the exported table and delimiter; an unknown .db extension alone does not identify the data format. Do not upload confidential databases unless that transfer is permitted.

Creating a restorable text dump

If the purpose is backup rather than a flat record file, create a SQLite SQL dump:

sqlite3 input.db .dump > backup.txt

The dump contains SQL schema statements and INSERT statements, so it preserves far more than a CSV export and can usually be restored with SQLite. It is SQLite-specific text, not a spreadsheet import file or a simple one-record-per-line format.

Compatibility limits

A flat TXT export preserves only the selected values. It does not preserve indexes, foreign keys, triggers, views, column affinities, or relationships unless a SQL dump is used.

Embedded newlines can make one database record span several physical lines. If the destination requires exactly one record per line, remove or replace line breaks in the query, for example:

sqlite3 -header -csv input.db "SELECT id, replace(replace(notes, char(13), ' '), char(10), ' ') AS notes FROM records;" > records.txt

BLOB columns, such as images, encrypted data, and attachments, are not ordinary readable text. Export them as separate files when possible, or use SQLite's hex(column_name) function when a hexadecimal representation is acceptable. Use UTF-8 unless the receiving application explicitly requires another encoding.