Click a file you wish to view, such as a Word document, Excel sheet, PowerPoint presentation, PDF, or image. After this, all the files on your computer will be appear with their full file name extensions. In File Explorer window, select the View tab and check File Name Extensions box.
In File Explorer under View, in the Show/hide group, select the File name extensions check box.īelow is a list of common Windows file name extensions and formats. Open File Explorer in Windows 10, click the View tab, and select Preview pane. Right-click on the Start button and click on File Explorer. In the search box on the taskbar, type file explorer, and in the search results, select File Explorer. If you don’t see file name extensions when you view files in File Explorer:
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To learn more about how to change which program will open a file, read Change default programs in Windows 10. You can change a file name extension, but that won't convert the file to another format or change anything else about it except the file name. Most file name extensions are compatible with more than one program that you have installed. For example, the docx extension tells your computer that Microsoft Word can open the file and to display a Word icon when you view it in File Explorer. In expenses.xlsx, for example, the first part of the file name is expenses and the extension is xlsx.Įxtensions tell your computer which application created or can open the file and which icon to use for the file. Windows file names have two parts separated by a period: first, the file name, and second, a three- or four-character extension that defines the file type.