BAK

Technology & Computing abbreviation · File Format

BAK
Stands forBackup file
CategoriesTechnology & Computing

BAK stands for Backup file, a file format abbreviation.

Extension for backup copies of files, created automatically by some programs before saving changes or manually by users. SQL Server also uses .bak for full database backups.

Example: AutoCAD saved a BAK of the drawing, so I renamed it to DWG and recovered yesterday's version.

Usage notes

Programs such as AutoCAD and many text editors keep the previous version of a file as a .bak. Renaming the extension often restores the file. In SQL Server, .bak files created by the BACKUP DATABASE command can be restored to another server. Leaving .bak copies of configuration files on public web servers can leak passwords.

More file format abbreviations

  • ASF – Advanced Systems Format
  • AV1 – AOMedia Video 1
  • AVC – Advanced Video Coding
  • AVI – Audio Video Interleave
  • AVIF – AV1 Image File Format
  • AZW3 – Kindle Format 8
  • BAT – Batch file
  • BMP – Bitmap image file
  • CBR – Comic Book RAR
  • CBZ – Comic Book ZIP
  • CDA – CD Audio track file
  • codec – Coder-decoder

See all 125 file format abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.