The only officially supported and reliable method to view the contents of a .backup file is to restore it onto a RouterOS device and then use the /export command. This is the industry-standard practice recommended by MikroTik and experienced network administrators. This process effectively translates the proprietary binary file into a human-readable configuration script.
Many users ask: How do I open a MikroTik backup file to see my firewall rules?
MikroTik deliberately encrypts and serializes .backup files to protect sensitive data like user credentials and wireless keys. If you open a .backup file in Notepad, VS Code, or TextEdit, you will only see broken characters and binary code.
MikroTik RouterOS provides two primary ways to save your device configuration: and Script files (.rsc) . If you have a file ending in .backup and are trying to open it to read your passwords, firewall rules, or interface settings, you will quickly find that opening it in a standard text editor like Notepad results in unreadable, scrambled text. open mikrotik backup file
Type the following command and press Enter: /export file=my_config_backup Go to the menu on the left. Find my_config_backup.rsc .
Once the router reboots with the backup configuration active, you can convert it into a readable format: Click on in Winbox. Type the following command and press Enter: /export file=my_readable_config Use code with caution.
To fully understand the .backup file, it's essential to compare it with the text-based .rsc file generated by the /export command. The main differences are highlighted in the table below. The only officially supported and reliable method to
WinBox’s built-in file viewer shows raw binary data. MikroTik does not intend for you to read it there. Use the restore method instead.
Understanding how to access the underlying configurations inside a .backup file is essential for disaster recovery, auditing, or network migrations. Why You Cannot Read .backup Files directly
Fully readable, searchable, diff-able. Cons: Requires setting up a RouterOS VM; passwords remain hashed. Many users ask: How do I open a
Opening a MikroTik .backup file is inherently difficult because it is a designed for machine-to-machine restoration, not human reading. If you need to view your configuration as plain text, you should use the /export command instead. 1. Can you read a .backup file directly?
Complete system restoration on the exact same device or identical model.
Never upload production backup files to online converters. Doing so exposes your network topology, public IP addresses, password hashes, and pre-shared keys to third-party servers. Only use online converters for testing environments or lab setups containing no sensitive data. 5. How to Open a .rsc File Directly