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.DVC file extension

To open .DVC files on Windows, if the file is from a DVC project: open it with a text editor (e.g., Notepad/VS Code) to inspect it, then use the DVC tool in a terminal to work with the tracked data (e.g., fetch/checkout as appropriate for your project).

To open a .DVC file, first identify whether it belongs to the DVC (Data Version Control) tool or to IDRISI Vector (GIS). DVC .dvc files are typically human-readable text/YAML and can be opened in a text editor, but are meant to be managed with the DVC command-line tool.

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Last updated: April 30, 2026 · Reviewed by Julian Stricker

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Choose your operating system for a dedicated step-by-step opening guide.

How to open .DVC files

Use these platform-specific instructions to open .DVC files safely.

Windows

  1. If the file is from a DVC project: open it with a text editor (e.g., Notepad/VS Code) to inspect it, then use the DVC tool in a terminal to work with the tracked data (e.g., fetch/checkout as appropriate for your project).
  2. If it is an IDRISI Vector (DVC) file from a GIS workflow: open it in the GIS application/workflow that produced it (the vendor docs identify it as an IDRISI vector format).
Full Windows guide

Mac

  1. If it is a DVC metadata file: open it in a text editor to read it, and use the DVC command-line tool to manage the corresponding data artifact.
  2. If it is an IDRISI Vector (DVC) file: you will usually need the originating GIS software/workflow; if you cannot open it on macOS, transfer it to a system with the required GIS tool.
Full Mac guide

Linux

  1. If it is a DVC metadata file: open it in a text editor to inspect it, and use the DVC command-line tool in your project directory to work with the tracked artifact.
  2. If it is an IDRISI Vector (DVC) GIS file: open it using the compatible GIS software/workflow that produced it; otherwise view it only as a binary blob (a text editor will not meaningfully display it).
Full Linux guide

iOS

  1. If it is a DVC metadata file, you may be able to view it as plain text in a code/text viewer app, but to actually use it (retrieve the data it references) transfer it to a desktop and use DVC there.
Full iOS guide

Android

  1. If it is a DVC metadata file, you can try opening it in a text editor app to read it, but to use it as intended (manage the tracked artifact) transfer it to a desktop and use DVC.
Full Android guide

Security notes

  • .dvc files used by DVC are typically human-readable metadata; treat them like configuration files and review changes (especially in shared repos) before using them to pull or reproduce data.
  • Because the .dvc extension is ambiguous, avoid running unknown “converter” utilities offered online; first confirm whether the file is DVC metadata or a GIS vector file from a known vendor workflow.
  • If the .dvc file came from an untrusted source, be cautious opening it in complex parsers (GIS/data tools), as malformed data files can sometimes trigger application parsing vulnerabilities.

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Can't open this file?

These are the most common causes and fixes when .DVC files fail to open.

Common reasons

  • The .DVC file opens as unreadable characters
  • You can read the .DVC file but the data it references is missing
  • Double-clicking does nothing or opens the wrong app

Fix steps

  1. Confirm where the file came from (a DVC repository vs. a GIS workflow) and check for surrounding project files that indicate DVC usage.
  2. If it is from GIS/IDRISI workflows, open it with the originating/compatible GIS software rather than a text editor.

OS-specific troubleshooting

What is a .DVC file?

In DVC (Data Version Control), a “<artifact>.dvc” file is a small, human-readable metadata file created when you track an artifact; it stores information DVC uses to reproduce and retrieve data. Separately, “IDRISI Vector (DVC)” is a GIS vector data format described in vendor documentation, and those .DVC files are intended to be opened with compatible GIS software rather than a text editor.

Background

In modern data/ML workflows, “.dvc” is most often seen in repositories that use DVC (Data Version Control). DVC uses these metadata files to represent tracked data artifacts without committing the large binary data directly into source control. Many of these files are plain text and can be inspected in a code editor, but you generally work with them through DVC commands and the surrounding project structure (for example, alongside DVC configuration and pipeline files).

Common MIME types: application/dvcs

Further reading

Authoritative resources for more details on the .DVC format.

Common .DVC issues

The .DVC file opens as unreadable characters

This often means it is not a DVC metadata text file, but a different .dvc format such as a GIS vector data file (e.g., IDRISI Vector).

  1. Confirm where the file came from (a DVC repository vs. a GIS workflow) and check for surrounding project files that indicate DVC usage.
  2. If it is from GIS/IDRISI workflows, open it with the originating/compatible GIS software rather than a text editor.

You can read the .DVC file but the data it references is missing

In DVC projects, the .dvc file is metadata; the actual data may live in remote storage and won’t appear until you fetch/checkout it with DVC.

  1. Use the DVC tool in the correct project directory to retrieve the tracked artifact according to your project’s DVC setup.
  2. Make sure you have access to the project’s configured storage/remote used for DVC-tracked data.

Double-clicking does nothing or opens the wrong app

Operating systems don’t always associate .dvc files with a specific program, and the extension is used by more than one format.

  1. Open the file in a text editor first to determine whether it looks like human-readable metadata (common for DVC).
  2. If it is a DVC metadata file, keep editing/viewing in a text editor and manage it with the DVC tool rather than relying on file association.

FAQ

Is a .DVC file always a DVC (Data Version Control) file?

No. The extension is also used for other formats, including IDRISI Vector (DVC) in GIS. The most common modern usage is DVC metadata in data/ML projects, but you should confirm the source.

Can I open a DVC .dvc file in a text editor?

Yes. DVC .dvc files are designed to be human-readable metadata, so a text editor can display them. To actually fetch/use the referenced data artifact, use the DVC tool.

Is the official MIME type for .DVC application/dvcs?

IANA registers the media type application/dvcs with reference to RFC 3029, which defines DVCS (Data Validation and Certification Server) protocols. This MIME type is not specific to DVC (Data Version Control) metadata files.

Should I rename the file extension to open it?

No. Renaming rarely converts the underlying format and can make identification harder. Instead, determine whether it is a DVC metadata file (open in a text editor) or a GIS vector file (open with the appropriate GIS workflow).

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