Changing the file extension in Windows 10. Saving with a specific extension
In the operating room Windows system There are many file extensions. Those who have used this OS are familiar with the names.png; .exe; .mp4; .txt; .bat. The system allows you to change the file extension from one to another, and in this article you will learn how to do this.
Enable display of file extensions
To see what extension the files have, you need to Windows settings 10 enable display:
You can also show file extensions using folder options ( standard way for Windows 7):
Changing the extension
The user has several options to change the file extension.
Using the context menu
Using the example of a file created using Notepad, let's change its extension from .txt to .doc. To do this:
By changing text document in .doc format for reading using the program Microsoft Office Word, information saved.
But remember, with such a change in the extension, there is a high probability of losing some information. If the information becomes unreadable, change the file extension back to the previous one. And don't forget to do backups files with which you perform similar operations.
Using the command line for a group of files
A simple command will help you change the extension of an entire group of files. As an example, let's take a folder with 10 .jpg pictures and convert them to .png. To do this:
Important! Even if the folder contained documents with other extensions, only those whose initial extension was .jpg will change.
Conversion using programs
Changing file extensions previous methods can be called "rude". Such alterations can lead to loss of information. For example, a .doc file has enormous capabilities for formatting text, saving all kinds of formulas, styles, photographs, media content, etc. When translated into the same .txt format (which doesn't support any of this), you lose information.
Conversion programs can partially solve this issue. For example, when converting video files from .mkv to .mp4, programs are able to save and correctly transfer important video and audio information in new format, without significant losses. If you change the extension in operating system Windows 10 from .mkv to .mp4 - the video file will simply be unreadable.
Each file that is used in Windows 10 and other versions of the OS has an extension: .txt, .doc., .exe, .jpg and others. Often, users need to know how to change the file extension in Windows 10 to continue working.
Making visible
By default, extensions are not visible in Windows 10. Therefore, to change them, first turn on the display. There are two ways to do this.
In the View tab
In Folder Options
How to change
You can change the extension after it has been opened.
Using the context menu
The easiest way is to use the Context Menu.
Important! Use this method only when you know for sure what you are doing. If after this the file no longer opens, rename it back.
File groups
Important! The change will only occur for those files that have original extension coincided with what was specified in the command.
Conversion
Often the file is not launched by the program even after changing the extension. But this is not surprising, since it is intended solely to compare executable file program. The file itself is determined by its content.
If the file format is not supported by programs installed on your computer, convert it. Designed for this special programs. You can find them on the Internet. They differ in functionality depending on the tasks you solve.
Video
The video clearly shows the process of opening visibility and changing the extension.
Saving with a specific extension
To make changes to the system, you may need a file with the extension .bat or hosts without .txt extension. To create them, launch Notepad and, when saving, select “All files” in the “File type” field. If necessary, specify the required extension. 
Conclusion
Changing the extension is done using Context menu or Command Line when working with a group of files. If your device does not have programs comparable to specific file, it can be converted into a suitable format using special programs.
Every file on your PC is installation disk or on a flash drive has its own extension. It is necessary so that the operating system can identify it. The extension is a set of letters located after the file name. This extension is often hidden in Windows 10 and the user only sees the file name. However, if you enable the display of extensions, the user will be able to see and change it. We'll look at how to do this in this topic.
How to enable display of file extension in Windows 10?
In the Windows 10 operating system, enable display hidden files possible in several ways. Let's take a closer look at them.
Method number 1. Via Explorer
- Open Explorer. Click "View". Check the “File name extension” checkbox.
Next to each file name, an indication of its format will appear in the form of a dot and three letters.
Method number 2. Using the Run line
- Press “Win+R” and enter “RunDll32.exe shell32.dll,Options_RunDLL 7”.
- The “Explorer Options” window will open. We need the View tab. Here we find the item “Hide extension for registered file types”. We remove the mark from it.
Now that you see the file extension, you can change it.
Extension: type and identification
There are a lot of file extensions. Therefore, if your PC does not read a file, you can change it to a readable one. However, to do this you need to know what type of extension is suitable for a particular file. Let's look at the examples in the table.
How to change a file extension in the Windows 10 operating system?
There are not many ways to change a file extension in Windows 10. Let us highlight the most effective and safe ones.
Method number 1. Renaming
Most safe method How to change a file extension is to change its name. However, this requires that the extension display be enabled. Next we do the following:
- Click on the file right click mouse and select “Rename”.
- The title will become highlighted. We put a dot at the end of the name and write the extension. For example, our article is in .docx format (This is Word 2010 and higher). And we need to change the extension to such that the file opens in Word 97 and 2007. To do this, at the end of the file, after the period, enter .doc. Press “Enter”.
- The file format has been changed.
Method number 2. Bulk file format change
- Find the folder where the files that need to be changed are stored.
- Hold down the "Shift" button and right-click on empty space and select “Open command window”.
- A command prompt will open. We write the following in it: “ren *.jpg *.png”, where *.jpg is the source format, and *.png is the final extension.
IMPORTANT! Only those files that have the original *.jpg format will be changed.
Method No. 3. Using the converter
In the Converters section, you can select any program (based on your needs) with which you can convert a particular file. To do this, you need to select a file, specify the source and destination format, and click “Convert.”
After conversion, you need to specify the location where you want to save the finished file.
Using these methods, you can change the file format in Windows 10. However, before performing any manipulations, you should make a copy of the data.
This concept implies a group of characters (from 2 to 4), which are indicated through a dot in the file name after its name. This could be docx - Microsoft format Word, jpg - one of many image formats or js - intended for storing code JavaScript language, and others. The function of the extension is to the computer understood, which program should open the required file.
How to enable extension visibility
When working with a large number a variety of data, type information may be useful. In case their display disabled, the option is possible reconfigure via "Control Panel":
The new settings will take effect immediately; no reboot is required.
Changing the extension
Once the extension appears in the name, you can change it manually. It's quite easy to do this:
Now for reading this file there will be answer program, designed to work with the format that was specified as an extension. If it suddenly turns out that the file stopped opening, this does not mean that it has deteriorated, but that the selected program does not know how to work with it. After all, changing the extension does not mean changing the type - this requires conversion. If you return everything as it was, the data can again be used as before.
Using the console
This interface makes it possible to change all files with a specific extension in the selected directory at once. For this necessary:
When you run the command in the above illustration, all images will change their extension from .jpg to .png. Changes affect only the folder from which the configuration was made.
Saving with a different extension
It is also possible to override the extension using some programs. For example, docx can be replaced with txt or even pdf, opening it in the native program - Microsoft Word.
In addition, such an approach also involves structural changes for further correct operation.
Conversion
Extension changes it is not always enough, because internal structure one file is different from another. For example, psd image it is forbidden reformat to jpg because it supports layers, which jpg does not. There are a number of others reasons, to which the standard Windows solution Photos will report that it "Cannot open the file." Here you will need specialized software, such as Photoshop. It contains conversion algorithms that allow you to change the file type to work in different applications, and the extension will be rewritten automatically.
Depending on the selected file, you may need various software solutions for their conversion. It is worth noting separately that there are now many online online converters, therefore, it is not always necessary to download heavy programs specifically for these needs.
