The format (or type) of a file is determined by its extension. Files of the same type are usually united only by the same icons and programs that are required to open them. Extensions, however, depend on the specific file type and its properties and characteristics, regardless of the executing program.
Necessary
Basic personal computer skills
Instructions
Step 1
To determine the file format, you just need to pay attention to the ending of its name. The characters following the dot in the file name are its extension. Knowing the meaning of these symbols, you can determine the file format.
To enable the display of file extensions, go to the "Folder Options …" menu (located on the "Tools" tab of the main menu in any folder). On the "View" tab, uncheck the "Hide extensions for registered file types" line. Click the Apply button and then OK to finish.
Step 2
To find out the specific format (type) of a file, open the folder that contains it. Then select the file by clicking the left mouse button and call the list of actions on it by clicking the right mouse button. In this list, select the last line - "Properties". In the window that appears, open the "General" tab. This tab contains all the basic information about the file (name, type, executing application, location, size, creation date and basic attributes). In the line "File Type" and you can get information about its format. To close the file properties window, press the "Cancel" or "OK" button.
