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CAP TXT
File conversion

Convert CAP to TXT

Verified by Adam B.· reviewed by FE Editorial ·updated Jun 26, 2026
QUICK ANSWER
Is it possible to convert CAP to TXT?
Yes - CAP converts to TXT.

Open the .cap in Wireshark, go to File > Export Packet Dissections > As Plain Text, and save. The output is Wireshark's interpretation of the packet frames; the original binary .cap is not modified.

1 programs
Also to TXT: RTF · KKSRC · HVE

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Tested on macOS, Windows & Linux
Last verified Oct 2026

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Why convert CAP to TXT?

A .cap file is a binary network packet capture (libpcap format) with no plain text content inside. Exporting to .txt produces a human-readable dissection of packet frames, useful for sharing summaries in tickets, emails, or reports without distributing the full binary capture.

How to convert CAP to TXT

Wireshark OPEN-SOURCE

Open the .cap via File > Open, optionally apply a display filter, then go to File > Export Packet Dissections > As Plain Text and save the .txt file.

Programs that convert CAP

Wireshark

About these formats

.CAP Packet Capture file (network trace) - primary meaning

A CAP file is almost always a network packet capture - a recorded snapshot of network traffic from a sniffer such as Wireshark, tcpdump, or a router. Open it with free Wireshark on Windows,…

Open .CAP details →
.TXT Plain Text File

A TXT file is plain, unformatted text - the simplest document format on any computer. Double-click it: Windows opens it in Notepad, macOS in TextEdit, Linux in gedit. Nothing to install. If…

Open .TXT details →

Quality & what to watch

  • The .txt output is a packet dissection - the binary .cap file remains unchanged.
  • Not all .cap files are network captures; the extension is also used by games and printer utilities, which Wireshark will refuse to open.
  • Applying a display filter before exporting limits the output to only the packets you need, keeping the .txt smaller and easier to search.

Frequently asked questions

Does exporting to TXT modify my `.cap` file?
No. Wireshark reads the .cap and writes a separate .txt. The original file is untouched.
What is the difference between exporting just the packet list and full packet details?
Packet list gives one summary line per frame (number, time, source, destination, protocol). Full details include every decoded field and raw hex bytes, producing a much larger file.
Can I filter packets before exporting to TXT?
Yes. Enter a display filter in the Wireshark filter bar (for example http or ip.addr == 192.168.1.1) before using the Export dialog to limit what appears in the output.