How to Open PDB Files on Mac

By Faizah Imani

Text-based files that are stored on your Palm PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) are saved under the PDB file format. This format is not recognized by your Macintosh computer. If you want to open PDB files such as eBooks or text documents on your Mac, you must use third-party software that will allow you to convert your files from PDB format to another format, such as .txt or .doc. Alternatively, you can skip the conversion process and use a PDB reader.

PDB Converter

Step 1

Download and install PDB converter software onto your Mac. Free PDB converter software programs that are Macintosh-compatible include PorDiBle, iSiloX and Calibre.

Step 2

Save the PDB file to your Mac's hard drive. Connect your Palm device to your computer via a compatible USB cable.

Step 3

Open the PDB converter program. Follow the instructions to convert the PDB file into a .txt .or .doc file. The exact instructions for file conversion vary by software.

PDB Reader

Step 1

Download and install PDB reader software onto your computer. Macintosh-compatible PDB reader programs include Swiss PDB Viewer and PDB Viewer.

Step 2

Connect your Palm device to your computer via a compatible USB cable. Your Palm now appears as a connected drive on your computer.

Step 3

Open the PDB reader program on your computer.

Step 4

Open the PDB file to begin reading it. To do this, click “File” and “Open” from the top navigation menu to locate the file on your computer drive.

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