BIN files were very popular when CD and DVD ripping was more common, as the files used for this purpose were often in BIN format. Today, BIN files are a relic of the past, although some programs and retro enthusiasts still use them.
Regardless of the reason, you may come across a BIN file and wonder what it is and how you can open it.
What is a BIN file?
A BIN or binary file is often defined as a file format that is not human readable. BIN files are made up of binary computer codes and have a wide variety of uses. The use of a BIN file depends on how it is interpreted by the software with which you open it. For example, a bin file can display an image, while it can also serve as a firmware update for a Blu-ray player.
BIN files don’t make much sense to the human eye, even once you open them with a code editor. However, the program expecting this file has the correct infrastructure to read and use it.
How to open and view a BIN file
As mentioned above, successfully opening a BIN file largely depends on the purpose of the file. Since BIN files are used in a variety of programs, you’ll first need to figure out what the BIN file does. Here are the three main ways you can open a BIN file.
CD and DVD images
Your BIN file could be an image extracted from a CD or DVD. If that’s the case, you can easily open it with image tools like PowerISO. Once you open the BIN file with an image tool, you can view its contents and edit it to your liking.
video game emulators
Video game emulators often use the BIN file format to mount games. If your BIN file is an old school video game file, you can use it via the emulator. Emulators like DGen, Kega Fusion, and ePSXe use BIN files.
hexadecimal editors
Ultimately, you can open any BIN file with a hex editor, such as Bewitchedregardless of its purpose. This way, you will be able to see the content of the file’s code and edit it. Of course, this is only recommended if you know what you’re doing; otherwise you could corrupt the file forever.
Easily open BIN files
BIN files were a big deal back when CD and DVD ripping was a thing, but now only programmers and enthusiasts deal with them. Some devices and applications still use BIN files for firmware updates, but that’s where the use ends for the common user. Other than that, if you need to open a BIN file, you need to know its purpose.