How to Open a .sav File Without SPSS (Free, No Upload)

The quickest free way to open an SPSS .sav file without SPSS is a browser tool that reads the file on your own computer: open trtt.app, drop the file in, and you'll see your data with its variable and value labels, ready to analyse. If you prefer installed software or code, PSPP, R (haven) and Python (pyreadstat) all open .sav files for free, and on an iPhone or iPad there's an app for it.

This guide covers five options and what each keeps from the file. It's written by the team behind TRTT, one of the options; the other four are free and work well.

Is your .sav an SPSS file?

The .sav extension is used by two unrelated kinds of files. SPSS data files are one. The other is game saves: many games and console emulators also name their save files .sav, and nothing in this guide will open those.

To check, open the file in a plain text editor and look at the first few characters. An SPSS data file starts with $FL2, or $FL3 if it uses the newer compressed format (often saved as .zsav). If you see that, read on. If the file came from a game folder, look for help from that game's community instead. For more on what's inside an SPSS file, see what is a .sav file.

The five options at a glance

jamovi and JASP also open .sav files with their labels, so if you already have either installed, open the file from its file menu.

Option 1: in your browser (TRTT)

This works in any current desktop browser on Windows, macOS or Linux; on a Chromebook, TRTT runs in Chrome, which ChromeOS uses. On a Mac it's the fastest answer to "how do I open a .sav file on Mac" because there's nothing to install.

1. Go to trtt.app. You don't need an account.
2. On the welcome screen, click Open Data File… and pick your .sav, or drag the file anywhere into the window.
3. The data appears in Data View. Switch to Variable View to see each variable's label, value labels, missing values and measurement level.
4. Use View ▸ Value Labels to toggle the grid between codes (1, 2, 3) and labels ("Agree", "Neutral", "Disagree").
5. If you want numbers, not just a look: Analyze ▸ Descriptive Statistics ▸ Frequencies… gives you a frequency table for any variable, in the same place as in SPSS.

The file is read by TRTT's engine inside your browser and isn't uploaded. The web version does send anonymous counts of which features are used, with nothing from your data; they're switched off if your browser sends Global Privacy Control or Do Not Track.

Things to know: the web file picker accepts .sav files, not .zsav or the older .por format. The web version is designed for desktop screens, not phones. Saving back into the same file works in Chrome and Edge; in Safari and Firefox, File ▸ Save downloads a new copy. There's no PDF export on the web, but you can copy tables into Word or Excel and export the output as .spv. More about what you can run: SPSS alternative online.

Option 2: PSPP

PSPP is the GNU project's free replacement for SPSS. It installs on Windows, macOS (as an application bundle, through MacPorts or a Homebrew tap) and Linux (apt-get install pspp, dnf install pspp or Flathub).

1. Install PSPP from the official GNU PSPP page.
2. Open the graphical interface and choose File ▸ Open, then your .sav file.
3. Or, in a syntax window:

GET FILE='survey.sav'.
DISPLAY DICTIONARY.

DISPLAY DICTIONARY lists every variable with its label, value labels and missing values. PSPP also opens .por portable files, which TRTT doesn't. It's a good choice if you work offline or on Linux, or if you have syntax that uses commands like DO IF or AGGREGATE.

Option 3: R with haven

If you use R, the haven package reads .sav and .zsav files.

install.packages("haven")
library(haven)

df <- read_sav("survey.sav", user_na = TRUE)

attr(df$q1, "label")   # variable label
print_labels(df$q1)    # value labels
df_labels <- as_factor(df)  # replace codes with labels

By default, user-defined missing values (such as 99 = "Refused") are converted to NA. Setting user_na = TRUE keeps them, so you can decide what to do with them. Labelled variables come in as labelled_spss columns, and write_sav() writes a .sav file back with its labels.

Option 4: Python with pyreadstat

In Python, pyreadstat reads .sav, .zsav and .por files into a pandas DataFrame and returns the metadata separately.

import pyreadstat

df, meta = pyreadstat.read_sav("survey.sav", user_missing=True)

print(meta.column_names_to_labels)   # variable labels
print(meta.variable_value_labels)    # value labels per variable

# Same file with labels instead of codes
df_labels, meta = pyreadstat.read_sav("survey.sav", apply_value_formats=True)

The labels live in meta, not in the DataFrame itself, so keep that object if you'll need them later. pyreadstat.write_sav() writes a .sav file back.

Option 5: on iPhone or iPad

IBM SPSS doesn't run on iOS, but the TRTT app does open .sav files on iPhone and iPad (iOS and iPadOS 17 or later). Tap the file in Mail or in the Files app and open it in TRTT, or browse to it from inside the app. You'll get the same Data View and Variable View, value labels and analyses as on the web, plus PDF export, and changes are saved back to the file in place.

The app is free and every feature works on data sets of up to 100 cases. For a larger file you can load the first 100 cases, or upgrade to TRTT Pro to open it in full; prices are shown in the app. The built-in sample data set (400 cases) isn't limited. There is no Android app. Step-by-step instructions, including iCloud Drive, Google Drive and Dropbox: open a .sav file on iPhone or iPad.

What gets lost when you convert to CSV

A common workaround is to convert the .sav to CSV or Excel and open that. It works for the numbers, but a .sav carries more than numbers:

If you do need a spreadsheet, TRTT's File ▸ Export… writes CSV or XLSX and lets you choose codes or value labels; dates become real Excel dates and system-missing values become empty cells. Just keep the original .sav as your master copy. The full walkthrough is in convert .sav to CSV or Excel.

Open TRTT in your browser – free

FAQ

How do I open a .sav file without SPSS for free?

Open it in a free tool that reads SPSS files: TRTT in a desktop browser (no install), PSPP, jamovi or JASP on the desktop, or R and Python with the haven and pyreadstat packages. All of them keep value labels.

Can I open a .sav file online without uploading it?

Yes. TRTT reads the file inside your browser and doesn't send it to a server. Not every online viewer says where it processes files, so check before you use one with confidential data.

How do I open a .sav file on a Mac?

Use TRTT in Safari or Chrome with nothing to install, or install PSPP (application bundle, MacPorts or Homebrew). R and Python also work on macOS.

Why can't I open my .sav file?

It may be a game save rather than SPSS data; an SPSS file starts with $FL2 or $FL3 when opened in a text editor. If it's SPSS data saved as compressed .zsav, use PSPP, JASP, R, Python or the TRTT iOS app, since TRTT's web file picker accepts .sav only.

Will I lose value labels if I open a .sav in Excel?

Excel can't read .sav directly, and converting to CSV or XLSX drops variable labels, value labels and missing-value definitions. Open the .sav in a tool that reads SPSS files, and only export a spreadsheet copy when you need one.

TRTT is an independent product. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by IBM. IBM and SPSS are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation.