How To Change File Extension Windows 7

How to Alter a File Extension in Windows

This folio shows you lot how to change a file extension in Windows. For instance, you might want to rename a file called MyDocument.rtf to MyDocument.txt.
These instructions are for Windows 7 simply the aforementioned bones process applies to well-nigh versions of Windows (run into screenshots from Windows XP).

NOTE: Irresolute a file extension should simply be done if you are confident it's the correct affair to do. Test the file thoroughly later the alter. If it doesn't work you lot can easily modify the extension back—only make sure you remember what it was!

My Computer

The first thing to practise is open Windows Explorer (or My Computer) and view the file you wish to modify. We'll use the instance of MyDocument.rtf. When we browse to the file it looks like this:

Windows Explorer

You'll detect that the file does not appear to have an extension—it'southward merely called MyDocument. That'due south because in this instance Windows is gear up to hibernate extension names.

If you can already run into file extensions on your computer, skip the adjacent footstep.

If you lot tin't encounter the file extension, go to organize > Folder and Search Options, then click the View tab. Uncheck the box titled "Hibernate extensions for known file types" like so:

Folder Options Window

Click OK. At present you should be able to meet the file extension:

Windows Explorer

Right-click the file name and select Rename (or left-click and hold down the push button for one second). Enter the new extension similar and so:

After entering the new extension, striking the Enter (render) key. Windows will give you a warning that the file may non work properly. This is quite rubber—remember that you can restore the original extension if anything goes wrong.

It'south also possible that you might go some other message telling you that the file is "read-only". In this case either say yeah to turning off read-only, or right-click the file, select Properties and uncheck the Read-only box.

If you lot do non have permission to alter the file extension, you may have to login as Administrator. Another option is to make a copy of the file, rename the copy and and so delete the original.

Note: Windows treats file extensions as example-insensitive, i.e. .RTF is the same every bit .rtf. Yet other operating systems do non, and will care for MyDocument.RTF and MyDocument.rtf equally two different files. Therefore it is good practice to always treat your files as case-sensitive for maximum compatibility. This is especially crucial if y'all are going to use the files on the Internet. We recommend that you get into the addiction of using all lower-case messages for all file extensions—so at that place's no defoliation.