Knowing the file format makes it easier for the user to determine with which application it can be viewed or edited. The Windows operating system provides several modes: in one, the display of file extensions is allowed, in the other, it is prohibited.
Instructions
Step 1
Extension - several characters that are written in the file name and indicate the type of data contained in it. The file format is separated from its name by a dot (text.doc, image.bmp). The extension is always hidden under the default settings in Windows.
Step 2
To select the display mode for file extensions, refer to Folder Options. It can be called in several ways. Click the Start button or the Windows key on your keyboard and open Control Panel. Left-click on the Folder Options icon in the Appearance and Themes category. Alternative way: open any folder saved on your computer. From the Tools menu, select Folder Options.
Step 3
In the dialog box that opens, go to the "View" tab. In the "Additional parameters" group, use the mouse wheel or scroll bar to move down until you find the item "Hide extensions for registered file types". Remove the marker from the found item and save the new settings with the "Apply" button.
Step 4
You can see the list of all currently registered extensions on the "File types" tab. In the dialog box on the left side, the extensions are indicated, on the right side, the file types. In some cases, it is not necessary to enable the display of the file extension, it is enough just to find out their type.
Step 5
In order to get information about what type the file belongs to, move the mouse cursor over the icon of the file you need and wait a couple of seconds. A pop-up window will appear with the data you are interested in. Also for these purposes, you can see the properties of the file.
Step 6
Move the cursor over the file icon and right-click on it. Select Properties from the context menu. A new dialog box will open, make the "General" tab active in it. The upper group will contain information about what type of file is and with which application it can be opened.
