Good afternoon, dear readers, today I want to tell you how to change the file type in windows in a minute, this topic can be considered a continuation of the previous post about file associations in windows 10, as it complements it. In my example, we will consider such operating systems as Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and of course the top ten, where now without it. I am sure that this information will be very useful for novice computer users, especially if your computer has been attacked by a virus that has changed all file associations.
File format types
Let's understand first what types of file formats are. It is logical that each program installed on your computer, no matter which operating system opens its file, and it is logical that it does not need other files from third-party programs, since they have their own openers. It follows from this that the files must somehow differ from each other, and identify themselves for a specific application. They did not think for a long time and came up with the idea that each file of a certain program will have its own format or extension. An extension is what comes after the dot at the end of the file name.
Examples of file format types
Here are the most common file formats:
- Sound> have the extension mp3, wav, flac
- Videos> avi, mkv, mpeg and so on
- Executables> are in exe, msi format
- Archive> rar, zip format
- Text> doc, docx, txt, pdf, etc.
There are a lot of such categories, each of them contains its own types of file extensions, you can see all of them in the note above about associations, I advise you to read. There are times when you need to quickly change the file format, for various reasons, for a simple example, you have a picture with the png extension, and on the website, for example, avatars for uploading to a profile can only be in jpeg format, what to do, you can of course convert it online, but there is not always the Internet, so we come to the point that we must understand and disassemble how to change the file type in windows.
I want to note that to convert formats, you need to use either online services or specialized software, the examples below are for informational purposes
Let's move on to practice and see how to change the file type in windows 10. Suppose I need to change the txt extension, in any operating system of the Microsoft family, the extensions are hidden and it is logical that if you need to change something by standard means, then you need to enable the functionality.
All we need to do is open the explorer, you can do this by the folder icon to the right of the start button.
To change the format, clicking on the View menu and setting the File name extensions checkbox will help us.
Please note that you can enable hidden files in Windows 10 here. We check everything, our file txt. All now, by selecting it and pressing the F2 key, you can change the format to the desired one, erase the txt and replace it. A real case when this may come in handy, you write some script in txt, and then change the format to bat or cmd and it becomes a script.
As you can see, changing the file format in Windows is no more difficult than saying one, two and three, but do not think that this always works, you will not be able to take an mp3 and make an avi out of it, miracles do not happen. This method is useful, for example, when editing the Hosts file in the system, since it does not have an extension by default, and there are cases that when editing it, the user is prompted to save it already in the txt format, which is not always visible if display is not enabled.
Let's continue to analyze how to change the file type in windows 8, this version is a little older and not so widespread around the world, in my opinion it was in vain at one time rejected, if it had not been for dozens, but this is not about that 🙂. By default, Windows 8.1 does not display extensions in the system, for example, I have a picture and I need to change its extension, but it is not visible in the name.
To fix this, do the following, open Windows Explorer (any local drive on my computer). You will have such a convenient menu on top, in it you need to go to the View tab and put just such a checkbox, File name extensions. This action will allow the operating system to enable the display of formats or whatever file extensions you want.
Let's look at our file again and lo and behold it appeared in the name.jpg this is its format.
Now, what you need to do, there are two options, the first is right-clicking and choosing the item to rename from the context menu, but you are already an advanced user, so you know that everything is done the same if you press the F2 key on the selected file. Next, you will have the opportunity to edit it, erase the old format and write a new one, for example png, in the window where you are asked to confirm the formatting change, click Yes.
As a result, you got the desired extension. As you can see, a couple of mouse clicks. Now you know how to change the file format in Windows 8.
Very often people tell me that the article is misleading, that it doesn't work like anything. Here I want to note that people have not read everything to the end, and apparently did not pay attention to the fact that I wrote that this does not always work and not with all formats, and in other cases you need to use special services and converters to change the file type.
I will give an example from life, in government institutions it is very often, still Word 2003, and it has the format .doc, and in most offices there is already MS Office 2013, which by default has the file type of Word * .docx, which in 2003 will not work, so the above method easily changes formats, and you can easily transfer the desired format to a user with an old office.
And so in the eight we figured it out, let's see how to change the file type in windows 7, here it is slightly in a different place.
The described method for the seven through the control panel is also suitable for ten and eight
I have an archive file, it has a rar format, I need to change the file extension in windows 7 to zip, this is also such an archiver. By default, the seven also does not display formats, so it needs help with this, so to speak, a little tweak 🙂.
We have with you two ways, each of the bottom you should open the Folder Options snap-in. The first method is to open Start> Control Panel.
In the upper right corner in the browse item, select large icons, and then look for the Folder Options icon, it is its capabilities that will allow us change file type in windows.
You can also get to the Folder Options menu using this method, open my computer, as you can see from above there are no additional buttons.
Press the magic Alt key and eventually you will open the hidden menu. In it, click on the Service button and then Folder Options. Choose which method you like best.
Go to the View tab, where you need to uncheck the Hide extensions for registered file types checkbox. By removing it, you will be able to change the file type in windows.
We check everything in our archive, select it, press F2 or right-click to rename, and put the desired extension.
Outcome
Let's summarize and go over the points that we now know:
- Understood what types of file formats are
- Examined ways to enable extensions on Windows
- Learned how to change the file format in Windows 7 to 10
If you have any questions, I am waiting for them in the comments.
As you master computer literacy, you may be faced with the question of renaming the file with the extension. It would seem that this is so difficult?
The file name is, for example, prim.doc, that is, the file name is first (prim) and the period is followed by the file name extension (.doc). Windows considers only the last 3-4 characters after the file name to be an extension.
How to change file name in Windows
To fix this problem, you need to return the file to its “old” extension. But be careful and don't get confused. If you give the extension “.exe” to a file that is not a program, the consequences can be dire. One of these consequences is the freezing of the operating system.
How to enable file name extensions view in Windows XP
Windows hides file extensions by default.
This mode is not always convenient. But there are also pluses - you won't accidentally change file extensions.
To enable the view of file name extensions in Windows XP, go to the "My Computer" window.
At the top of the window menu, find "Tools" - "Folder Options" - "View" and uncheck the "Hide extensions for registered file types" checkbox there (here are the settings for Windows XP). After unchecking the checkbox, click on "OK". After this, the file extensions will become visible.
Viewing extensions in Windows 7
In Windows 7, to see the extensions for registered files, you need to go to "Start" - "Control Panel" - "Folder Options":
Windows 7: How to See File Extensions on Your PC
Open the “View” tab, uncheck the box next to the option “Hide extensions for registered file types” and click “OK”. After that, file extensions in Windows 7 will no longer be a "secret behind seven seals" for you.
In this article, I will show you how to change the file extension in the Windows operating system to correctly match the file type or format. The instructions for changing the file name extension are suitable for operating systems Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7.
A file extension is a set of characters (2 to 4) that identify the format or type of file appended after a period to the file name. For example, in the “Document.txt” file, the file name “Document” is first followed by a period, and after the period, the file extension is “txt”.
What are file extensions for? File extensions help the Windows operating system determine the type or format of a file to associate an application with to open a given file type. When matched correctly, programs immediately open the corresponding file type.
Why does Windows need to change the file extension? Some files have incorrect extensions initially. This often happens when downloading files from the Internet. The downloaded file has an unknown extension, but in fact it can be an audio file in MP3 format, or a video file in MP4 format. After changing the extension to the correct one, the file will open using a program designed to open this type of file (in our case, using a multimedia player).
Attention! Changing the file name extension in Windows should only be done if you are sure that it is really necessary. Note that this is a reversible operation. In case of unsuccessful renaming, you can return the file to the previous extension.
By default, file extensions are hidden in Windows. Therefore, it is necessary to make the operating system display the file extension.
How to change a file extension in Windows 10
In the Windows 10 operating system, you can enable the display of hidden file extensions in two ways.
First way to enable display of filename extensions:
- Open File Explorer.
- Click the "View" tab.
- Check the box next to File Name Extensions.
Second way to enable display of filename extensions:
- Open the "View" tab in Explorer.
- Click on "Options" and then on "Change folder and search options."
- In the Folder Options window, click the View tab.
- Uncheck the box next to Hide extensions for registered file types.
- Click on the "OK" button.
After that, you will see that the file extensions are now displayed.
How to change a file extension in Windows 7
File extensions will be available for modification in the manner described above.
How to change a file extension in Windows 8 (Windows 8.1)
In Windows 8.1 and Windows 8, open an Explorer window. Next, follow the same steps, exactly the same as in Windows 10:
- Enter the "View" tab.
- Activate the item "File name extensions".
Another way: in the "View" tab of the Explorer go to "Options", and then "Change the parameters of folders and search." In the "Folder Options" window.
In the "View" tab, uncheck the "Hide extensions for registered file types" item. Then click on the "OK" button.
File extensions can now be changed in the manner described above in the article.
Conclusions of the article
If necessary, you can change the extension of the file name in the Windows operating system to a different file extension to correctly match the file type. In Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, you first need to display the file extension, and then change to a different file extension name.
Many novice users are wondering how to change the file format in the absence of programs to open it.
Data arrays can be conditionally divided into four main types:
- text;
- Images;
- audio;
- video.
To save traffic, large documents are packed into special archives such as rar, zip, etc.
Each type of document requires its own methods for modifying extensions.
Before performing the operation, you need to carefully evaluate all the consequences so as not to lose part of the information or the entire document.
The operating system does not initially display the extension code. To change the settings, open the "Folder Options" window. The access path has 2 options.
- open the explorer;
- at the top right, select the "Folder options" tab;
- in the next window select "View";
- find the item "Hide extensions for registered file types" in the list;
- remove the check mark in front of the label (move the mouse pointer and press the key);
- then click "OK".
In the second option, press the "Start" button on the desktop:
- Main menu, select "Control Panel";
- select "Folder options" among the icons.
Further actions are similar to those described above. After changing the settings, the file name in Windows 7 should be displayed with the extension.
Extensions of archives like zip, rar cannot be changed. Such folders should be unzipped (extracted) first. This operation is performed by special programs. The most popular are WinRAR and 7-zip. If the archiver is installed on your computer, when you try to open the file, a message will appear prompting you to determine the location for the document.
The extensions of text files can be changed using Explorer. To do this, select the file name, press the left mouse button. In the menu that opens, select the "Rename" item.
A frame will open on the line, the name is highlighted in blue, the extension is outside the selection area. Move the cursor behind the last letter of the extension, press the Backspace key on the keyboard, delete letters and enter new ones.
You can change the file format in text editors Word, Open Office and similar. To do this, open the file in an editor. Then, in the upper left corner of the window, select "File", in the menu that opens, find the item "Save As", click with the mouse or use the key combination "Ctrl + Shift + S".
The window settings contain several items, among which you should select "File type". If it is difficult to choose the desired extension, you can click on the triangle at the end of the line. A list of possible options will open, among which you should select the one you want with the mouse and click the "Save" button.
Some text formats can only be converted online by going to the editor manufacturer's website. For books in fb2 and djvu formats, it is better to install the appropriate editors than to change the extension.
Graphic, audio, video files
There are several ways to change the format of images. One of the simplest: open a folder with documents, select the desired one, press the right mouse button. In the menu, select the line "Properties".
On the "General" tab, in the first line with the name XXXXXX.xxx, replace the extension code, press the "OK" button. A warning window will open with the warning “After changing the extension, this file may not be available. Do you want to change? " Click "Yes".
If the document contains information that needs to be preserved, a copy should be made and experimented with. If you are satisfied with the results, you can perform the conversion with other files.
Another way to change image extensions is to use the original paint editor. The image must be opened in the editor, use the keyboard button F12 or "File", "Save As".
When using F12, a window will open, in the bottom line of which you should select the desired extension. When you select Menu, a list of possible save formats will open on the right. Move the mouse pointer to the desired one and click. Next, a window will also open with the settings for the location of saving and changing the name.
Any other editor with similar functionality can be used instead of Paint.
The audio format can be changed by replacing the code in the explorer, but quality loss is possible. For reformatting audio and video, special converters have been created. Most of these applications are paid, trial versions work for a short period of time or add additional elements and sounds during conversion.
It is advisable to use converters for large volumes of formatted documents.
In order not to puzzle over how to change the format, it is advisable to install an additional player with advanced features, such as KMPlayer or GuberLink.
In addition to those described, there are other types of files containing HTML, CSS, PHP, and other types. How do I change the extension of these files? In a similar way, but using the appropriate editor.
A simple format change in Explorer can render the document unusable. The reverse process is not always possible.
Today, dear friends, we will analyze a very important issue that interests a huge number of computer and laptop users. But before we start talking about this, let's find out what an extension is and why it needs to be changed. Let's go in order.
The extension is necessary so that the operating system can quickly determine what type of format a particular file belongs to. Let's say you have uploaded a photo.jpg to your desktop. If the system did not automatically detect the extension, then every time you see a photo, you would have to manually select the program through which this image would open. Difficult, agree?
Why might you need to change an extension? Here's a simple example: you have m4a files on your computer that your iPod can't read at all. What to do in such cases? Alternatively, you can use special programs that allow you to rework formats. However, such programs are often expensive and take up a lot of free time. Therefore, the most optimal solution can be considered a simple change of the extension, because the file itself does not change from this, but the iPod can easily read it.
Changing the extension using the standard method
Let me tell you right away, friends, that there is no fundamental difference in this matter between the operating systems Windows XP, Vista or 7, so we will show an example based on the latter of them.
Open the "Start" panel - "Control Panel" - "Folder Options".
A new window has opened in front of you. Select the "View" tab and scroll down until you see the inscription "Hide extensions for registered file types." Uncheck the box next to it, and then click "Apply" and OK.
Now what? And now we go to the desktop or to the folder where the required file is located, select it, right-click and select the "Rename" item from the menu. Now you can safely change the file extension to whatever you need. As you can see, the whole process took only a minute of your free time.
As for Windows XP, the folder settings section in this operating system is not in the control panel, but in the "Tools" section (open any folder and you will see it in the top menu). Otherwise, there are no differences.
We use the file manager
You can always use the file manager if it is installed on your computer. In extreme cases, such a program can be downloaded on the Internet - they are distributed, as a rule, completely free of charge. In this case, we will show an example based on Total Commander.
Open your file manager, select the drive and folder where the file is located. Hover the mouse arrow over it, select Rename and change the extension.
We use WinRAR
This method is designed for the most real maniacs and you can use it only for your own satisfaction, since it is too unusual, although simple.
Surely most of you have a program for archiving and unzipping files installed on your computer. It will be useful to us.
Take the file and zip it using WinRAR. Then open the archive, select the desired file, change the extension and unzip.
We hope we helped you with the answer. If you have questions or any advice, do not hesitate, post them through the comments, we will be interested to read them. Sincerely.
