All information on the computer is stored in the form of files of different formats. Each application accesses and works with those resources that it can "read". Knowing how to recognize the file format can be useful to the user in different situations.
Instructions
Step 1
Pay attention to the file icons. To facilitate navigation in the Microsoft Windows system, each file type has its own icon. Most often, these icons correspond to the icon of the application with which files can be opened. So, for example, files created in the text editor Microsoft Office Word have an icon in the form of a sheet with the letter W (Word), and the icons of files with audio tracks correspond to the appearance of the player icon.
Step 2
Learn to understand the file extension. The name of any file consists of two parts: before the point there is the file name assigned to it by the user or the program, after the point - the file type designation. If files on your computer appear without an extension, open any folder. In the top menu bar, select the "Service" item, in the drop-down menu call the "Folder Options" component - a new dialog box will open.
Step 3
In the window that opens, go to the "View" tab and use the scroll bar to move down the list in the "Advanced options" section. Uncheck the "Hide extensions for registered file types" checkbox. Click on the "Apply" button and close the properties window by clicking on the OK button or the X icon in the upper right corner of the window. You should now be able to see the file extension.
Step 4
With the active use of various applications, the user remembers which programs work with a particular file format. Be careful and over time you will remember everything. If you find it difficult to cope with the amount of information, move the cursor to the file, the format of which you want to know, right-click on it and select "Properties" from the drop-down menu.
Step 5
In the window that opens, on the "General" tab, pay attention to the "File type" and "Application" sections. It is here that the answers to the questions are contained in what format the file is saved and with which program it can be opened. After reviewing the data, close the window by clicking OK, Cancel or the X in the upper right corner of the window.
Step 6
If the system does not recognize the file type, use an Internet search. To date, information on file types can be found on various resources. For example, on the website at https://open-file.ru, it is enough to enter the extension of the unrecognized file in the search field, press the "Find" button and wait until all the necessary information is displayed on the screen.
