Question

How to recover and open TMP files

Answer 1

How to open files with the .tmp extension
The best tools to open TMP files
How to open temporary files: example with VLC Media Player

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How to recover and open TMP files

The most diverse programs, including operating systems, store all kinds of information in so-called temporary files or TMP files, named for the extension .tmp . In most cases, these cache files are used to lighten the RAM as much as possible when running applications or exchanging data with other programs. In addition, they often function as backups , because they cache the current processing state for recovery in the event of a system crash..

Although TMP files should be deleted automatically and by default as soon as the corresponding program is closed or the system is shut down, in practice this does not always happen. Therefore, when you explore the directories and folders on your system, it is very possible that you will come across temporary files that the system or other programs no longer actively use. We explain how to open these TMP files to recover and explore their content .

Index

1. How to open files with the .tmp extension
2. The best tools to open TMP files
3. How to open temporary files: example with VLC Media Player

How to open files with the .tmp extension

If you come across a temporary file , you may want to open it to retrieve its contents or simply to find out what it contains. The .tmp extension that these files share may make you think that they can all be opened with the same tool, but the reality is different: as each program uses TMP files for different purposes, they also contain the most diverse types of data : from text without formatting to images or videos, going through spreadsheets or the aforementioned download backups..

The result is that temporary files can often only be opened by the program that created them or by software that also supports such content .

The best tools to open TMP files

If the location of the temporary file allows you to easily deduce the application it came from, you should first try to open the file with that program. If you can't, or if the properties of the .tmp file aren't enough to figure out where it came from, using the following tools you'll have a better chance of getting it right:

• Microsoft Word - When it comes to opening and editing text documents, it could be said that all roads lead to Word. Microsoft's word processor is capable of opening many TMP files that contain plain text . In addition, Word itself is one of the tools that is responsible for creating temporary files to cache the processing status of the current document.
• Microsoft Excel - The Word equivalent for tabulated data is Microsoft Excel. If you suspect that the TMP file contains information structured in this way, Excel is probably the right tool to recover the temporary file.
• VLC Media Player : VLC Media Player is one of the most used solutions for playing audio and video files for years thanks to its compatibility with a wide range of formats. Furthermore, the program also displays images, so it can open almost all TMP files that have digital multimedia content .
• Firefox (and other browsers): Browsers like Firefox also allow you to open a wide variety of TMP files. With these practical applications you can mainly recover plain text or PDF files, as well as some multimedia content. Furthermore, by using backup files in .tmp format , browsers can resume downloads that have been interrupted for some reason.

How to open temporary files: example with VLC Media Player

If you want to use any of the tools mentioned to open a TMP file, the procedure is the same as with any other file. Most applications include the option to? Open File? . All you have to do is select it and then specify the location of the .tmp file . Some programs also offer the option of dragging and dropping files to open them..

With the VLC Media Player program you have both options to recover temporary files. Follow these steps:

1. Open VLC Media Player .
2. In the menu bar, click? Medium ? and select? Open file ?.
3. In the drop-down list, select the option? All files ? and then indicates the location of the temporary file .
4. Click? Open ? to retrieve the temporary file.

Example: Open a TMP file in VLC Media Player.

If you prefer to drag and drop the temporary file to open it, just start VLC Media Player, select the file by clicking the left mouse button, and then drag it to the program window.

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