How to Open a SQLite .db File Online

A SQLite database is usually a single file. If you receive a .db, .sqlite, or .sqlite3 file, you do not always need to install a desktop database application just to inspect it.

You can open the file in the SQLiz SQLite Playground, run queries against it, and download a modified copy when you are finished.

The database is read into browser memory. SQLiz does not upload the database file to a server.

Open a SQLite database file

Open the SQLite Playground and choose Open a local SQLite database file.

Supported extensions include:

• .db
• .sqlite
• .sqlite3

The current SQLiz file-size limit is 25 MiB.

After the file opens, you can replace the sample query with any SQLite statement.

To list tables:

SELECT name
FROM sqlite_master
WHERE type = 'table'
  AND name NOT LIKE 'sqlite_%'
ORDER BY name;

To inspect a table definition:

SELECT sql
FROM sqlite_master
WHERE type = 'table'
  AND name = 'customers';

Or use:

PRAGMA table_info(customers);

Query data in the file

Once the database is open, normal SQLite queries work.

For example:

SELECT *
FROM customers
ORDER BY id
LIMIT 50;

You can also test joins, aggregates, CTEs, JSON functions, and window functions.

If you are working from a long query, format it first with the SQL Formatter for SQLite.

Make changes and download a copy

The browser database is writable.

For example:

UPDATE customers
SET active = 0
WHERE last_login < '2025-01-01';

or:

CREATE INDEX idx_customers_email
ON customers(email);

When you want to keep the changes, use Download database.

The downloaded file contains the current in-memory SQLite database. Your original local file is not modified automatically.

What happens when you close the page?

The working database is temporary.

Reloading or closing the page clears the in-memory database unless you downloaded a copy first.

This makes the playground useful for inspection and testing, but it is not persistent SQLite hosting.

Is the SQLite file uploaded?

No.

The SQLite engine runs through WebAssembly in the browser. The selected database file is read locally into browser memory.

This is useful for:

• inspecting development databases
• checking a database copied from a desktop or mobile application
• testing migration SQL
• reproducing a query issue
• reviewing a small database on a machine without SQLite tools installed

You should still follow your organization’s rules for sensitive or production data.

What about WAL files?

If the database is actively using write-ahead logging, recent changes may exist in a separate -wal file.

A browser playground that opens only the main database file does not automatically combine a separate WAL sidecar.

Before copying a production or development database for inspection, checkpoint it and close applications that are actively writing to it.

If you only want to test SQL

You do not need your own database file.

The SQLite Playground includes sample tables so you can test queries immediately.

For a broader walkthrough, see How to Run SQLite Online in Your Browser.