What Does Bak File Mean?

A bak file or .bak file is a file with extension .bak that signifies it is a backup file or, often, a duplicate of another file that is stored in a secure storage location for backup and recovery. This common format is used by many different types of software systems, including word processing and office software, design software applications and more.

Techopedia Explains Bak File

A .bak file may be used in many different contexts. In some cases, they are part of an autosave feature on software that ports these temporary files to a secure location if the system encounters unexpected difficulties. These files can also be created manually, where users go in and make changes to the file extension. Alternately, a system can regularly archive large sets of .bak files for general backup purposes.