As a rule, editing the file extension should reflect the change in the recording format of the information it contains. And such intervention in the file structure is most often carried out using specialized applications that change the extension. But the cases when the user has to fix the extension on his own are still not so rare.
Instructions
Step 1
The easiest way to change the file extension is to use a program specifically designed for working with files. There are many ways to open it in Windows OS - for example, right-click the "Start" button and in the pop-up list of commands select the line "open explorer".
Step 2
In the left column of the file manager interface, select the drive where the rename object is located, and then, sequentially expanding the folders in the same left column, go to the directory containing the file.
Step 3
If the extension of the desired object is not displayed in the file manager, then open the "Organize" drop-down list above the left column of the Explorer and select the "Folder and search options" line. If your OS version does not have this list, then open the "Tools" section in the menu and select the "Folder Options" item. In both cases, the same window will open, in which you need a list of parameters on the "View" tab - find the line "Hide extensions for registered file types" in it. Uncheck this line and click OK.
Step 4
Right-clicking the required file, select the "rename" command, go to the end of the name (press the End button) and correct the extension. Pressing the Enter key will commit the changed file name.
Step 5
The same operation can be done on the command line, even if the display of the file extension is disabled in the Windows settings. The command line simulator window is invoked through the program launch dialog - press the Win and R keys simultaneously to open this dialog. Then type cmd, press Enter and a command prompt terminal will open.
Step 6
Use the rename command or its shorthand ren to rename. This command requires specifying the full path and name of the edited object, as well as the name of the file with the new extension (for the second parameter, you do not need to specify the full path). For example, if a file named someFile.doc is placed in the text folder of the root directory of drive F, then to change its extension from doc to txt, enter the following command: ren F: extsomeFile.doc someFile.txt and press the Enter key.
