.RDS File Info & Viewer

Open & inspect
.RDS files online

Can't open an R data file? View your .RDS objects here for free - no signup, no installation.

Drag & drop your .RDS file here
or click to browse from your device
Serialized R Data Objects & more
Uploading...
Extension
.RDS
Category
Data
Primary Use
Serialized R Data Object
Primary Software

R

What is a RDS file?

A .RDS file is a serialized data object created by the R programming language. It stores a single data structure, such as a dataframe, matrix, or list. This preserves the exact state and structure of the data. Unlike .RDATA files that save entire workspaces with multiple objects, .RDS files save only one specific object.

Alternative formats

Because file extensions are sometimes shared between different programs, a .RDS file might also be a Ray Dream Studio Scene File. This is an older 3D graphics format originally created by DAZ Productions. If you are unsure what kind of file you have, viewer.online/rds analyzes .RDS files to identify their exact format and creator software, shows which programs can open the file, and usually previews it.

How to open RDS files

To open an R data .RDS file on your computer, you need an R software environment. You can use the popular RStudio application or the standard R command-line interface. Inside your R script, use the `readRDS()` function to load the file data into a variable. If you want to read the file in Python, you can use the pyreadr library.

Summary

Because most .RDS files use the known GZIP format to compress and serialize data, viewer.online/rds can safely open and display them online, eliminating compatibility problems.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between .RDS and .RDATA files?

.RDS files store a single R object, while .RDATA files store multiple objects or an entire workspace. You must assign the result of `readRDS()` to a new variable, whereas `load()` for an .RDATA file automatically restores objects with their original names.

How do I read a .RDS file in Python?

You can use the pyreadr package to read .RDS files directly in Python. Alternatively, you can use rpy2 to run R code from within your Python script.

Can I view a .RDS file without installing R?

Yes, you can use viewer.online/rds to inspect and view the contents of your .RDS file directly in your web browser without installing RStudio or R.

Why is my .RDS file not opening?

The file might be corrupted or it might be a legacy 3D graphics file. Some .RDS files are actually Ray Dream Studio Scene Files created by DAZ Productions, which require different software to open.

Are .RDS files compressed?

Yes, by default. The `saveRDS()` function in R automatically uses GZIP compression to reduce the overall file size.

Ready to inspect your .RDS file?

Upload any .RDS file and instantly identify its format, extract content, and preview it online.

Drop file here