DBK File

What are DBK files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a DBK file or are you simply curious about its contents? We're here to explain the properties of these files and provide you with software that can open or handle your DBK files.

What is a DBK file?

DBK files have multiple uses, and DocBook Technical Document is one of them. Read more about the other uses further down the page.

DocBook Technical Document

DocBook is a semantic markup language for technical documentation. DocBook enables users to create document content in a presentation-neutral form. In that way, it is easy to publish it in various formats like HTML, PDF, or whatever is required, without having to rewrite it.

How to open DBK files

Important: Different programs may use files with the DBK file extension for different purposes, so unless you are sure which format your DBK file is, you may need to try a few different programs.

While we have not verified the apps ourselves yet, our users have suggested ten different DBK openers which you will find listed below.

Last updated: August 5, 2026

All known file formats using extension .DBK

While DocBook Technical Document is a popular type of DBK-file, we know of 4 different uses of the .DBK file extension. Different software may use files with the same extension for different types of data.

Sony Ericsson Mobile Phone Backup File

Files that contain the .dbk file extension are compressed backup files that have been created for certain Sony Ericsson mobile phones. These DBK files are produced by the Sony Ericsson PC Suite, a data management application for Sony Ericsson mobile devices that users can install on their PCs.

The DBK files contain backup copies of information that has been stored on the phone, such as the user's contact details.

DBase Backup File

A DBase Backup File (extension .DBK) is created by dBASE when the user modifies the structure of an existing database table. It holds a backup of the original table (often a .DBF or .DB2 file) so that if the structural changes - like adding, deleting, renaming, or altering data types of fields - cause problems, the original table's data can be restored. The backup includes all records and fields as they existed before the modification.

The .DBK file is produced automatically by dBASE as part of its MODIFY STRUCTURE operation. First a backup (.DBK) of the current table is created, then a new table with the altered structure is built, and finally the data from the .DBK backup file is copied into that new table. If memo fields exist in the table being altered, a companion backup memo file with the extension .TBK is also made to preserve memo data.

Files begin in the same format as standard dBASE table files (DBF/DB2) but are distinguished by the .DBK extension. No specific byte signature publicly documented for all .DBK backups has been identified, though dBASE recognizes them internally by their extension during MODIFY STRUCTURE operations.

DBK opener for Windows

We have identified one DBK opener that is compatible with this specific type of DBK file.

Orcad Schematic Capture Backup

Orcad Schematic Capture Backup files with the .DBK extension are backup copies of schematic-design databases created by OrCAD Capture (Cadence Design Systems). They preserve a snapshot of a .DSN schematic file whenever a project is saved. These backups let users restore the design to its state at the most recent save, useful if changes were made in error or if the working .DSN becomes corrupted.

These .DBK files are produced automatically by OrCAD Capture on Windows each time the user saves the overall project (via the Save command in the project manager). When saving a library, Capture instead creates a .OBK backup. No .DBK is generated if only a single schematic page or library part is saved individually. To restore a backup, one typically renames the .DBK file to .DSN or updates the project file (.OPJ) to point to it; the software then treats it as the active design.

The .DBK format is a proprietary binary format (OrCAD design-database) that closely mirrors the live .DSN file structure. It is not meant to be opened or edited independently of OrCAD Capture. Internally it includes compound-document style data for schematic pages, parts, nets, libraries, title blocks, symbols, and properties. One key technical detail: the format appears to use an OLE/compound-document-like binary layout and contains recognizable ASCII keyword strings like "ORCAD WINDOWS DESIGN", "SYMBOLS DIRECTORY", "TITLEBLOCK0", "PART REFERENCE", "PAGE CREATE DATE", among others; its first byte signature corresponds to typical compound document magic bytes.

Programs that open these DBK files

We have identified one DBK opener that is compatible with this specific type of DBK file.

Various apps that use files with this extension

These apps are known to open certain types of DBK files. Remember, different programs may use DBK files for different purposes, so you may need to try out a few of them to be able to open your specific file.

Help us help others

File.org helps thousands of users every day, and we would love to hear from you if you have additional information about DBK file formats, example files, or compatible programs. Please use the links below or email us at submit@file.org to discuss further.