Document
What is a .pab file?
A .pab file is a Microsoft Outlook Personal Address Book. This is a document format, so it holds text and layout meant to be read.
How to open a .pab file
- Try LibreOffice (free, Windows/Mac/Linux) — it opens an enormous range of current and historic document formats.
- Microsoft Word and Google Docs handle most mainstream document types.
- If nothing opens it, open it in a text editor: many older document formats have readable text inside.
The registry records this extension against Microsoft Outlook Personal Address Book, so software from that family is the most likely match.
How to convert a .pab file
- Once it opens in LibreOffice or Word, Save As .docx or .pdf to get it into a format you can use anywhere.
The technical record
For archivists, developers and the merely curious: these are the PRONOM registry entries for .pab.
| Format name | Version | MIME type | PUID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Outlook Personal Address Book | — | — | x-fmt/75 |