Browse Tools Top 100
BUP DAT
Not possible

Convert BUP to DAT

Can you convert BUP to DAT?
Verified by Adam B.· reviewed by FE Editorial ·updated Aug 10, 2026
QUICK ANSWER
Is it possible to convert BUP to DAT?
No - not a direct conversion.

There is no conversion path from .bup to .dat. A BUP file contains only DVD chapter pointers and menu structure - no video, audio, or data payload. No converter exists for this pair because there is nothing to convert.

No direct path
Also to DAT: WALLET · PAC · VFS

On this page

Tested on macOS, Windows & Linux
Last verified Oct 2026

More free converters

HEIC, PNG, WEBP, MP3 and more - every tool here is free.

Open the toolbox

Why convert BUP to DAT?

A .bup (DVD IFO Backup File) is a byte-for-byte copy of a DVD-Video .ifo navigation file, required by the 1996 DVD-Video specification as disc-scratch insurance. The .dat extension is a generic label applied to many unrelated file types - VCD video files, database exports, data dumps - with no single defined format or structure. The two files share no common data, making conversion impossible.

How to convert BUP to DAT

HandBrake FREE

Point HandBrake at the full VIDEO_TS folder (not the .bup file) to encode the DVD title to MP4 or MKV; HandBrake reads .ifo/.bup for chapter structure and encodes from the .vob files.

MakeMKV FREE

Open the VIDEO_TS folder in MakeMKV for a lossless copy of the DVD to a single MKV file with all audio tracks and subtitles preserved.

VLC OPEN-SOURCE

Open the VIDEO_TS folder in VLC (Media > Open Folder) to play the DVD backup directly without any conversion.

About these formats

.BUP DVD IFO Backup File

A BUP file is part of every DVD-Video disc - it is an exact backup copy of the matching IFO navigation file, stored in the VIDEO_TS folder. It contains no video, so you cannot play or…

Open .BUP details →
.DAT Program Data File (generic)

A DAT file holds generic data created by a specific program, and the extension alone won't tell you which one or what's inside. Open a copy in a text editor first: readable text means it's…

Open .DAT details →

Quality & what to watch

  • Renaming a .bup to .dat does not change the file's binary contents - it remains a DVD navigation table with a DVDVIDEO-VMG or DVDVIDEO-VTS header.
  • If a .ifo file is missing or corrupted, copy the matching .bup and rename the copy to .ifo - the contents are identical by specification.
  • The video and audio are stored in the .vob files in the same VIDEO_TS folder; the .bup and .ifo files are used only for navigation.

Frequently asked questions

Why do some sites list BUP-to-DAT conversion?
Those listings come from automated databases that generate conversion pages for any two extensions without checking whether conversion makes sense. No legitimate converter exists for this pair.
Can I delete BUP files from my DVD backup to save space?
If your .ifo files are intact, the .bup files are not needed for playback, but they take up almost no space and act as insurance - keeping them is the safer choice.
How do I get the video out of my DVD backup?
Open the entire VIDEO_TS folder in HandBrake or VLC - the video is in the .vob files, not in the .bup.