We all quite actively use modern technologies, so we want to know as much as possible about what opportunities are open to us. Sometimes we are faced with very complex tasks that we do not know how to solve; in this case, it is necessary to gain new knowledge and skills in order to solve the issues that have arisen. If we talk about us - ordinary users - we are not interested in them very often, so there are no problems. However, in a situation where a file cannot be played on a device due to a format mismatch, users may sooner or later be faced with the question of how to change the file format? What cases may cause such a need? Sometimes the size of a particular file is incredibly important, since it can differ in different formats. The format needs to be changed in cases where we need to reduce or increase this size. Well, another important factor is that some devices are only capable of playing certain types of files. Here you can give an example of a phone that does not want to play a video; in this case, you only need to change its format and everything will work. You can come across quite a lot of similar reasons. If you are wondering how to change the file type, I can say that it is not at all difficult, but you need to try.
To begin with, it would be worth understanding the concept of a file format, because not everyone can understand what we are talking about. By format we mean a specific specification of the structure of data that is recorded on a storage device. The format is usually indicated in the name of the file itself, separated from the name by a dot.
How to change the file format
First of all, you must decide what format you need as an output. If you already know this, then we can suggest you at least three ways to do this. First, it’s worth talking about how to change the file format manually. Since this method is considered the simplest, it is worth talking about it. It's a shame, but it can't always be used. Roughly speaking, you can get a file in a new format by changing its extension. To do this, you need to call the “Rename” item from the file’s context menu, then find the format you need in the menu, rename the file itself, and then save.
Now we can say that Windows 7 using a special software. This method is appropriate to use in cases where you want to change the video or graphic file. There are several most common applications with which this can be done: SuperC, ZuneConverter, FormatFactory. After you install the program on your computer, you need to run it, find the file you need, and then specify the format that should be output. The program converts the file in just a few seconds.
You can try to change the format of your file using special Internet resources. This method applicable in cases where for some reason you cannot install the converter. It's not at all difficult to do this. You will need to go to resources such as www.youconvertit.com or www.zamzar.com. A field will appear on the page in front of you where you can upload your file, after which the system will offer formats available for of this type file. After that, all you have to do is select the required format, click “Convert”, and then in a few seconds your file will be changed and you can download it.
This short article talked about the most available ways How to change the file format, if you need information in more detail, you should turn to Internet resources for help.
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 occur only for those files whose original extension matches the one 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 associate an executable file with a program. The file itself is determined by its content.
If the file format is not supported by programs installed on your computer, convert it. Special programs are designed for this. 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 the Context Menu or Command line when working with a group of files. If your device does not have programs compatible with a particular file, you can convert it to a suitable format using special programs.
Before moving on to the topic of how to change the file format, I suggest you define file terminology. Instead of the word “format” you may also come across the word “extension”.
These are two words with equal meaning, between which you can put a mathematical equal sign, although this is not entirely correct from the point of view of mathematics:
file extension = file format
Any user sooner or later faces the need to change, and some of them find it difficult to perform this action.
You can find many special programs that can be used to change the file format. Such programs are called converters. They can be freely downloaded from the Internet, or you can simply not go through the procedure of installing programs on your computer or on a device that replaces a PC.
Before we start changing the format, let’s clarify what, exactly, we are going to change.
What is a file extension (format) and why is it needed?
The file extension or format is the part of the file name that comes after the period. It is this part, which is written in the title (name) of the file, that indicates what type (format) the file belongs to.
Why is the file format needed?
File format needed operating system Windows so that it can quickly determine which program to open a particular file for the user. And if there is no such program, then the system can inform the user that it does not understand what to do with the “strange” file.
Why might a simple user need the ability to understand a little about the file extension (format)? First of all, in order to easily open files taken from the Internet or from other sources. Or just to understand that to open each file format you need a suitable program.
For example, a file named hope.txt has a .txt extension, which means it text file. Therefore, this file can be opened, for example, using , and, if necessary, make edits to it, save it with a different name, etc.
The file nadezhda.mp4 has the extension .mp4, which means we are dealing with a video file, which means that you can open, edit and, in general, deal with this format using appropriate video programs. But the Notepad program, designed for working with text, is not at all suitable for opening the video file nadezhda.mp4.
How to determine file type by format
Let me give you examples:
- “On the sea.jpg” - we read what is written after the dot (jpg) and understand that this is an image, since jpg is an image format.
- “Protection of the report.pptx” – we read what is written after the period (pptx) and understand that this is a presentation.
- “Look at me.avi2” is a video file, since avi is a video file format.
Now let's look at what formats they have Various types files, so that you can also easily determine the file type by extension yourself or resort by entering a query there like “bmp what format”.
The following extensions have
- archivers: rar, zip, arj;
- executable programs: exe, com;
- web pages: htm, html;
- texts: txt, rtf, doc, docx, pdf;
- graphics: bmp, gif, png, jpg, jpeg;
- audio: wav, mp3, midi;
- video: avi, mpeg, mp4.
Among the files Microsoft Office There are formats such as:
- documents: doc, docx;
- tables: xls, xlsx;
- presentations: pptx, ppt, pps;
- publications: pub.
How to open a file without knowing its format
You can simply double-click on the file with the mouse and it is likely that it will open. But this does not always happen, so we move from the automatic method to the manual option in order to ultimately open the file.
This can be done using the context menu. Sometimes it is also called the PKM menu (menu). A context menu offers a set of specific actions that the system is able to do at the location where the user calls the menu.
Calling up the menu is simple - just click on the file name right click mice. On touch screens, in particular, context menu opens if you hold your finger (or pen) in the right place, for example, on a file name.
In Fig. 1 shown:
1 – Right-click on the file name.
2 – A context menu opens for the file whose name was clicked. The “Play” option suggests opening the video using .
3 in Fig. 1 – If the default program is not suitable for us, click “Open with”.
4 – A list of programs will appear that can be used to open the file if the default program is not suitable.
5 – The “Select program” option will prompt you to search for a suitable program option on the Internet.
Rice. 1. The file can be “Played” using the default program, or through the “Open with” option you can select another program
- video to video (for example, video.avi to video.mpeg format),
- picture to picture (for example, extension of picture.png to picture.jpg)
- and so on.
How to change file format on Windows 7
By default, file extensions are hidden from users. The Windows developers did this on purpose so that users would not mess things up by changing extensions, deleting “extra” files and rendering the system inoperable.
- Hover your mouse over "
- then go to the "Control Panel" menu
- there click on “Small icons”,
- then stop at the “Folder Options” item.
- Next, the “Folder Options” window will appear, where you need to select the “View” tab (1 in Fig. 2).
Rice. 2. How to allow Windows 7 to show file extensions
- Go lower by moving the slider (2 in Fig. 2).
- Stop at the phrase “Hide extensions for known file types” (3 in Fig. 2).
- There should not be a checkmark; it must be unchecked if there is one, then confirm the action with the “OK” button (4 in Fig. 2) so that the changes are saved.
Making a copy of the file to be on the safe side
Let's say you have a video file in avi format (title.avi), and you want to convert it to mpeg format (it will be title.mpeg). Since after changing the file format, theoretically it may become inaccessible (stop opening), therefore, I recommend making a copy of the file to be on the safe side.
- To do this, you need to right-click on the file (right mouse button), after which a menu will appear in which you click on “Copy”.
- Then on free space Right-click again and select “Paste” from the menu that appears.
- The same file will appear with the word “copy” prefixed to the name, more precisely, “title – copy.avi” (1 in Fig. 3).
- Below is an example on Windows based 7, for others Windows versions(8, 10, XP) actions are exactly the same.
Rice. 3. Make a copy of the file, then click “Rename”
It is for this new copied file that we will change the extension.
- Click on the name “title – copy.avi” (1 in Fig. 3) with the right mouse button,
- then click “Rename” (2 in Fig. 3).
- And now, without changing the file name, we change only its extension, that is, after the dot, write down the format that you need, in my case it is “title - copy.mpeg”.
- After this operation, press “Enter”, as a result we will get (Fig. 4) a duplicate of the file, or rather, a copy of it:
Rice. 4. Changed the file format “title – copy.avi” to the format “title – copy.mpeg”
Rice. 5. Warning about the consequences of changing the file extension
If you are sure, then you just have to click “Yes”. Having completed these steps, all that remains is to check that the file with the new extension opens. Then you can delete the extra file that was saved under the old name, in this example it is the title.avi file.
How to change file format on Windows 10
To the operating room Windows system 10 showed extensions rather than hiding them, you can enable this option by following these steps.
Click “Start” (1 in Fig. 6), then “Control Panel”. The “Configure computer settings” window will open, in which we click the “Explorer Options” command (2 in Fig. 6):
Rice. 6. Open the Panel Windows management 10
The “Explorer Options” window will open (Fig. 7), in which:
- open the “View” tab (1 in Fig. 7),
- using the slider (2 in Fig. 7) we look for the option “Hide extensions for registered file types”,
- uncheck the checkbox or make sure that it is not there (3 in Fig. 7) opposite the line “Hide extensions ...”,
- click “OK” (4 in Fig. 7):
Rice. 7. Open extensions Windows files 10
Changing the file format on Windows 8
The process of changing the file format in Windows 8 occurs exactly the same as in 7 (seventh).
- Through "Start" go to "",
- where you need to click on “Small icons” (1 in Fig. 8).
- After this, go to “Folder Options” (2 in Fig. 8), where you need to click on the “View” tab (3 in Fig. 8) and go to “ Extra options”.
Rice. 8. Opening file extensions in Windows 8
Then we check whether extensions are hidden: there should NOT be a checkmark next to the option “Hide extensions for registered file types” (4 in Fig. 8). Then accept the changes if they have been made (5 in Fig. 8).
Algorithm for changing the file extension in Windows XP
- Hover your mouse over ,
- Next you need to go to the “Settings” menu,
- there select “Control Panel” and
- Click on "Folder Options".
In the window that appears on the screen, select the “View” tab. Then you need to click on the “Advanced options” item, and then go down and hover your mouse over the phrase “Hide extensions for known file types.” If there is a checkmark here, then it must be unchecked. If you uncheck the box, be sure to confirm the action by clicking “Apply” so that the changes are saved.
The same can be done using the “My Computer” window, more details.
Now you can start changing the format of the desired file. To start changing the format, hover your mouse over your file, click on it so that the window appears. Then select “Rename” at the bottom.
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Imagine:
- there is a file in front of you. By double click Windows prompts you to choose a program to open it with. Who knows what kind of file this is, what extension it has and what program can open it?
- Dangerous situation. I sent you the greetings.jpg file by mail. You decide that it is a picture and open it. But the true extension, as it turns out, was hidden from you - the file was called greetings.jpg.exe and was virus!
- The file arrived by mail again. Just an executable file with exe extension the one you are waiting for. But mail program For security reasons (as in the previous paragraph), I renamed the file, adding the extension safe. You are trying to rename a file, but you are not offered the option to change the extension. It is not clear how to launch the file.
- There are two files on your desktop and they look exactly the same. And the names are the same, and the pictures are the same. And one of them is doc, and the other is rtf. It's time to get confused.
In these cases you simply need enable display
Or this situation:
- you downloaded an archive from the Internet, but for some reason the browser saved it with htm resolution (web page resolution). Naturally, you will not be able to unpack such an archive.
You need change file extension to the correct one.
What to do in this case?
- Specify in Windows settings display extensions.
- Use a file manager.
You can change the formats (extensions) of some files by simply renaming them.
However, Windows OS may not show file extensions, including for security reasons, so that the user does not inadvertently rename the file incorrectly. Those. In your explorer the files are displayed like this:
To change the file extension you need Enable display of file extensions in Windows.
1.How to set the display of file extensions in Windows settings
Go to the menu: " Start" - "Control Panel".
There are two options here:
a) you have classic style enabled
In the case of the active classic style, immediately select “Folder Options”.
Then select the item “Designs and themes”.
And at the next stage we also select “Folder Options”.
In the properties, on the “View” tab, find the item “Hide extensions for registered file types” and uncheck this item. Click "OK".
You can also open the display of file extensions via Windows Explorer (double-click on the "My Computer" icon on the desktop or the Win+E key combination). Go to the folder where the file whose extension you want to change is located. In the Explorer menu Service select item Folder properties. IN Windows 7 there may not be a menu; in this case, press the Alt key in the Explorer Window and it will appear. Menu item equivalent Folder properties in Windows 7 it is called Folders settings .
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(note: in Vista the main menu item is called “arrange”, and “folder options” can also be found in the control panel (start - control panel))
On the View tab, uncheck the Hide extensions for known file types option and click OK.
Now you can notice that the file names have changed, and the names of their extensions appear to the right after the dot: “flv”, “jpg”, mp3 and so on.
or select the desired file and press the “F2” key on the keyboard (similar to the “Rename” command).
Remove the old extension before the dot and enter the new extension in its place. Remember that you should not touch the dot, otherwise the extension will merge with the file name. Once the new extension is specified, press the "Enter" key on your keyboard.
The Windows operating system will give you a warning window that after changing the extension the file may become inaccessible. Click the button "Yes" to confirm the change.
This way you will change the file extension.
And now on the desktop you can see graphic file icons indicating its extension
If suddenly the file stops opening, just put the old extension back in place. This usually helps correct the situation.
Here's a video tip to help you:
If you want to know what a particular extension means, take a look at filetypes.
I recommend not hiding file extensions on your computer if you are not yet familiar with them. Open extensions files will help you quickly learn which extension belongs to which type of file, and if you come across a virus file, for example, a picture arrives in the mail, and its extension is EXE or BAT (executable files), then you will never open such a file.
Also often default file extensions are shown in many file managers, For example, Total Commander.
2.How to change file extensions in Total Commander
In Total Commander, extensions are listed in the second column of the disk window.
To rename a file, press Shift + F6 and simply enter a new extension.
After this, do not forget to press Enter, and the file changes its “last name”. Now flv video in mp4 quality can be safely uploaded to LiveInternet.
And finally:
Remember! As a rule, changing file extensions often makes it impossible to open and edit them in the future. Therefore, you need to be extremely careful when experimenting with extensions. However, some file extensions can be changed without much consequence; for example, a text file with a txt extension can easily be turned into an html web page that opens in a browser.
It is best not to change file extensions, but to save files in the desired format using the “Save As” command, which is usually located in the “File” menu of all common programs. For example, you can save a Word 2007 document with the docx extension in the format Word document 2003 with doc extension. Simply changing the document file extension using the “Rename” command will make the docx file unreadable.
Based on materials BraveDefender, yachaynik.ru,
When working with files, it is often necessary to change the file extension. For example, in order to change the TXT extension to CSV or vice versa. This article will teach you how to change the file extension in Windows 7.
To change a file extension, you first need to enable extension display. To do this, open any folder, for example “My Computer”, press the Alt button and open the “Tools – Folder Options” menu.
You can also open the Folder Options window via . To do this, just enter the corresponding phrase into the search.
After the “Folder Options” window appears in front of you, go to the “View” tab. There is a list of options that apply to folders and files. In this list you need to find the item “Hide extensions for registered file types” and disable it by unchecking the checkbox next to it.
After that, close the window by clicking on the “Ok” button. That's it, now we can see file extensions. And in order to change the file extension in Windows 7, just rename it by specifying a different extension.
It should be noted that changing the extension does not affect the contents of the file in any way. By changing the extension, you simply tell the operating system that this file has a different format and needs to be opened through another program.
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