Where Are Tableau Extracts Saved?

Knowing where your Tableau data extract files are saved is crucial for managing your work, sharing dashboards, and troubleshooting connection issues. The answer, however, isn't always straightforward because the location depends on how you're using Tableau - whether on your personal computer with Tableau Desktop or in a shared environment with Tableau Server or Cloud.

This tutorial will guide you through the different places Tableau stores these files, from your local "My Tableau Repository" folder to the managed environments of Tableau Server. We'll cover the essentials for finding and managing your .hyper files so you can focus more on analyzing your data.

What Exactly is a Tableau Extract?

Before we go hunting for files, let's quickly review what a Tableau extract is and why it's so important. An extract is a saved subset or a full copy of a data source that has been pulled into Tableau's high-performance data engine. Instead of querying a live database every time you interact with a filter or chart, Tableau queries this highly optimized local file.

Using extracts provides several key benefits:

Faster Performance: Querying a local, optimized extract is almost always faster than querying a live, remote database, especially a slow one.
Offline Access: Since the data is saved locally, you can work on your dashboards without an active internet or network connection.
Reduced Database Load: By creating an extract, you put less strain on your production databases. Instead of dozens of analytical queries hitting the server, only a single refresh query runs on schedule.

From TDE to Hyper

For years, Tableau extracts were saved as .tde (Tableau Data Extract) files. However, starting with version 10.5, Tableau introduced a new, faster extract format called .hyper. These .hyper files are designed for quicker query processing and faster extract creation. Today, whenever you create a new extract, Tableau saves it as a .hyper file.

Where Extracts Are Saved with Tableau Desktop

If you're using Tableau Desktop on your own computer, your extracts are saved on your local hard drive. But their exact location depends on how you've saved your workbook. There are two main workbook types to understand: standard workbooks (.twb) and packaged workbooks (.twbx).

Unpackaged Workbooks (.twb) and the Default Location

When you save a standard Tableau Workbook (.twb), you are only saving the dashboard structure - the sheets, fields, formatting, and a link to your data source. You are not saving the data itself within that file.

If that data source is an extract, the .hyper file is saved separately on your computer. By default, Tableau saves these extract files in a dedicated folder inside your "My Tableau Repository." Here is the typical file path:

When you create and save a new extract from a live connection, Tableau will prompt you to save it, and this is the folder it will suggest. This separation is important to remember. If you email someone just your .twb file without sending the .hyper extract file, they won’t be able to open it because they don't have the data.

Packaged Workbooks (.twbx) - The All-in-One Solution

A Tableau Packaged Workbook (.twbx) solves the problem of separated files. Think of a .twbx file as a zip file that bundles everything together into one neat package:

The workbook file (.twb)
The extract file (.hyper)
Any background images, custom shapes, or other local files used in the dashboard.

When you save your workbook as a .twbx, the extract is stored internally within that single file. You won't find a separate .hyper file sitting in your repository. This is the best way to share your work with others, as it guarantees they'll have everything they need to view and interact with your dashboard.

How to Find the Specific Location of an Extract

What if you have a workbook open and you don't know where its extract is located? Tableau makes this easy to check.

Navigate to the "Data" tab at the top menu or the "Data Source" tab at the bottom left of your screen.
In the "Data" pane on the left, right-click on your data source.
Select "Properties..." from the context menu.

A dialog box will appear, showing you the type of connection and the full file path to the database or extract file. This tells you exactly where Tableau is looking for that .hyper file on your machine.

Where Extracts Are Saved on Tableau Server & Tableau Cloud

Once you publish a workbook to Tableau Server or Tableau Cloud (formerly Tableau Online), the relationship with your local files changes entirely. The extracts are no longer stored on your personal computer.

Tableau Server (On-Premise)

Tableau Server is a self-hosted instance of Tableau that your organization manages on its own servers. When you publish a workbook with an extract to Tableau Server, that .hyper file is uploaded and stored on the server's file system.

The specific directory where these extracts are physically stored is located within the Tableau Server data directory, something like:

However, this is critical to understand: you, as a regular user, should not and likely cannot access this folder directly. This location is managed entirely by the Tableau Server's internal processes and is accessible only by Server Administrators. Your interaction with the server-based extract happens through the Tableau Server web interface, where you can set up refresh schedules, run a refresh manually, or download the workbook if you have the correct permissions.

Tableau Cloud

Tableau Cloud is Tableau's fully managed software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform. The concept is the same as with Tableau Server: when you publish a workbook using an extract, the extract is hosted by Tableau.

Since this is a cloud service, you have absolutely no access to the underlying file system. The extracts are stored securely within the Tableau Cloud infrastructure. All management of the extract - including refreshes using Tableau Bridge for on-premise data - is handled through the Tableau Cloud website.

Best Practices for Managing Your Extracts

Keeping a handle on your extract files will save you from future headaches like broken connections, disorganized folders, and wasted disk space.

Use Packaged Workbooks (.twbx) for Sharing: Always save your workbook as a .twbx before sending it to a colleague or moving it to a new location. This ensures all necessary files, especially your extract, travel with it.
Be Mindful of File Size: Extract files can become very large. When creating an extract, use filters to limit the data to only what you absolutely need. You can also right-click unused fields in your data source pane and select "Hide" before creating the extract to keep it lean.
Organize Local Files: Instead of letting all your .hyper files pile up in the default repository folder, consider creating specific project folders where you can save both your .twb and the associated .hyper files together. This makes it easier to keep track of everything.
Clean Your Repository Periodically: Go into your \My Tableau Repository\Datasources folder every so often and delete old, temporary, or redundant extracts that you no longer need. This will help free up valuable disk space.

Final Thoughts

In summary, finding your Tableau extract is a matter of knowing your environment. For local development in Tableau Desktop, your extract lives separately in your repository for .twb files or gets bundled inside .twbx files. Once published, the extracts move to a managed environment, either on your company's Tableau Server or hosted in Tableau Cloud, where direct file access is replaced by web-based management tools.

Managing data sources, refresh schedules, and file locations is often the most time-consuming part of analytics, taking focus away from uncovering actual insights. At Graphed, we streamline this process completely. You connect your marketing and sales platforms (like Google Analytics, Salesforce, or Shopify) just once, and we handle all the tedious data syncing and hosting in the background. Instead of hunting for extract files, you can just ask questions in plain English and get real-time dashboards and reports built for you in seconds.