System file
What is a .tlb file?
A .tlb file is a Type Library (version Type 1). This is a system or support file. Your computer uses it in the background — it isn't a document. Confusingly, this extension has been used by 2 different formats over the years — they're all listed below.
This extension has been used by more than one format
2 different formats have claimed .tlb over the years, so two files with the same extension aren't necessarily the same kind of thing.
How to open a .tlb file
- Usually nothing. These files are read by the operating system or an application, not by you.
- If it's plain text (settings, logs), a text editor will show its contents safely.
The registry records this extension against Type Library, Type Library, so software from that family is the most likely match.
How to convert a .tlb file
- System files shouldn't be converted. If a program is complaining about one, reinstalling that program is the usual fix.
The technical record
For archivists, developers and the merely curious: these are the PRONOM registry entries for .tlb.
| Format name | Version | MIME type | PUID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type Library | Type 1 | — | fmt/1601 |
| Type Library | Type 2 | — | fmt/1602 |