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How to rename an extension. Changing file extensions

The need to change the file extension occurs if initially or when saving it was mistakenly assigned the wrong format name. Additionally, there are cases where elements with different extensions are essentially the same format type (for example, RAR and CBR). And in order to open them in a specific program, you can simply change it. Let's look at how to perform this task in Windows 7.

It is important to understand that simply changing the extension does not change the file type or structure. For example, if you change the filename extension in a document from doc to xls, it will not automatically become an Excel table. To do this, you need to carry out a conversion procedure. In this article we will look at various ways to change the name of the format. This can be done either using built-in Windows tools or using third-party software.

Method 1: Total Commander

First of all, let's look at an example of changing the name of an object format using third-party applications. Almost any file manager can handle this task. The most popular of them is definitely Total Commander.

Using Total Commander you can perform bulk renaming.

First of all, you should select the elements that need to be renamed. If you need to rename all files in a given directory, then stand on any of them and use the combination Ctrl+A or Ctrl+Num+. Also, you can go to the menu by item "Selection" and select from the list "Select all".

If you need to change the name of the file type for all objects with a certain extension in a given folder, then in this case, after selecting the element, sequentially go through the menu items "Selection" And “Select files/folders by extension” or apply Alt+Num+.

If you need to rename only part of the files with a certain extension, then first sort the contents of the directory by type. This will make it more convenient to search for the necessary objects. To do this, click the field name "Type". Then, holding down the key Ctrl, left-click ( LMB) by those names of elements whose extension needs to be changed.

If the objects are arranged in order, then click LMB on the first of them, and then, holding Shift, according to the last one. This will select the entire group of elements between these two objects.

Whichever selection option you choose, the selected objects will be marked in red.
After this, you need to call the bulk renaming tool. This can also be done in several ways. You can click on the icon "Group renaming" on the toolbar or apply Ctrl+M(for English versions Ctrl+T).

The user can also click "File", and then select from the list "Group renaming".

The tool window opens "Group renaming".

In field "Extension" just enter the name that you want to see for the selected objects. In field "New name" at the bottom of the window, options for the names of the elements in a renamed form will immediately be displayed. To apply the change to the specified files, click "Run".

After this, you can close the group name change window. Through the Total Commander interface in the field "Type" you can see that those elements that were previously selected have changed to the user-specified extension.

If you find out that you made a mistake when renaming or for some other reason you wanted to cancel it, then this is also quite easy to do. First of all, select files with a changed name using any of the methods discussed above. After that, move to the window "Group renaming". In it, click "Rollback".

A window will open asking if the user really wants to cancel. Click "Yes".

As you can see, the rollback was completed successfully.

Method 2: Bulk Rename Utility

In addition, there are special programs designed for bulk renaming of objects, including Windows 7. One of the most famous such software products is Bulk Rename Utility.

The main disadvantage of this method is that the Bulk Rename Utility application is not Russified, which creates certain inconvenience for the Russian-speaking user.

Method 3: Using Explorer

The most popular way to change the filename extension is to use Windows Explorer. But the difficulty is that in Windows 7, by default, extensions in Explorer are hidden. Therefore, first of all, you need to activate their display by going to “Folder Options”.

Go to any folder in Explorer. Click "Arrange". Next in the list, select "Folder and Search Options".

The “Folder Options” window opens. Move to section "View". Uncheck the box "Hide extensions". Click "Apply" And "OK".

Now the format names will be displayed in Explorer.

Then go in Explorer to the object whose format name you want to change. Click on it RMB. Select from the menu "Rename".

If you do not want to call up the menu, then after highlighting an element, you can simply press the key F2.

The file name becomes active and available for change. We change the last three or four letters after the period in the name of the object with the name of the format that needs to be applied. The rest of his name does not need to be changed unless absolutely necessary. After performing this manipulation, press Enter.

A miniature window opens, informing you that after changing the extension, the object may become inaccessible. If the user consciously performs actions, then he must confirm them by pressing "Yes" after the question “Perform the change?”.

Thus the name of the format was changed.

Now, if there is such a need, the user can again go to “Folder Options” and remove the display of extensions in “Explorer” in the section "View" by checking the box next to the item "Hide extensions". Now you should click "Apply" And "OK".

Method 4: "Command Line"

You can also change the filename extension using the Command Line interface.

But, of course, using the “Command Line” to change the filename extension of only one file is not rational. It is much easier to carry out this procedure through Explorer. It’s another matter if you need to change the format name of an entire group of elements. In this case, renaming through “Explorer” will take a lot of time, since this tool does not provide for performing an operation simultaneously with an entire group, but “Command Line” is suitable for solving this task.

Using the Command Line, you can solve more complex problems when changing the extension of elements located in the same folder. For example, if you need to rename not all files with a certain extension, but only those that have a certain number of characters in their names, you can use the “?” sign instead of each character. That is, if the “*” sign denotes any number of characters, then the “?” implies only one of them.

As you can see, there are several options for changing extensions in Windows 7. Of course, if you need to rename one or two objects, the easiest way to do this is through the Explorer interface. But, if you need to change the format names of many files at once, then in this case, in order to save effort and time in performing this procedure, you will have to either install third-party software or use the capabilities provided by the Windows Command Line interface.

The information stored on our digital devices can be in different formats. Many users periodically face the question - how to change the file extension? This need is periodically caused by the need to translate an image into the required format, adapt a document downloaded from iTunes and other mobile content stores to the characteristics of the device, reformat text content into a web page, and other reasons. How can you change the extension so that the information retains all its properties? Let's try to figure it out.

What is a file extension or format

Before changing the extension replacement function, the user needs to find out what it is and what this characteristic affects:

First, it limits the range of applications that can open the file.
Secondly, it was created so that the device would be able to determine its type.

Each document has its own format, which is indicated after the name. Using this property, the system determines what type of information it is dealing with - video, audio, etc. The extension characterizes this parameter and helps the system select the optimal application to open. Before changing the properties of a file to suit your needs, you need to remember how to find out the format, and only then think about how to change the existing file extension.

To do this, right-click and select the “Properties” tab. The extension will be indicated in the “File type” line. This property in most cases takes the form of a combination of 3-4 letters and numbers. By way of illustration:

audio files come with the extension mp3, wma;
video files – mpeg, avi;
graphic images - gif, jpg.

When the system sees this letter combination, it understands which program to open the document with and, as a rule, can decrypt it. When changing the format, it is very important to correctly carry out the algorithm of actions, taking into account the features of a particular operating system, otherwise you can damage the information by setting the wrong format, and in the future the system simply will not be able to perform the decryption procedure, etc. To prevent this from happening, we have prepared step-by-step instructions for you on how to change the extension for different OSes and other useful tips.

Some files do not have any extension and it is easiest to change their format. The user needs to right-click and select “Rename”. Then a dot is added to the name, followed by the letter value of the extension of interest. If the properties after renaming fully comply with the required format, the information will be opened by the necessary applications.

On operating systems of the Windows family, the extension is hidden from users by default. The ability to convert a file is provided in one of the sections of the control panel. By going in and making the appropriate changes to the settings, you will be able to give the files you are interested in the desired format. The procedure has some differences for different versions of the operating system. Converting information is not such a complicated process, and its implementation is accessible even to users without advanced skills.

On Windows 7

For users of the Windows 7 operating system, changing the extension is relatively easy. To do this you need to perform the following procedure:

Click the “Start” button, open “Control Panel”;

select the “Small icons” view type;

select “Folder Options”;

select the “View” tab and uncheck the “Hide extensions for registered file types” option, save the changed settings;

after that, by right-clicking on the document, you can rename it, changing not only the name, but also the extension.

Some users may be interested in how the format is changing for the Windows Vista operating system. This process is completely identical to the procedure for Windows 7. The control panel interface of both operating systems has much in common, and changing the format type for Vista according to the instructions provided will be easy. For XP OS, the format changes in a similar way, but the Folder Options item is located in the top menu of the Tools group window.

On Windows 8

For Windows 8 OS the procedure is similar to Windows 7:

go to the “Control Panel”;

set “Small icons”;

open folder options;

select the “View” tab, go to “Advanced options”; Uncheck the box next to “Hide extensions for known file types.”

That's all! After completing these steps when renaming, you can simultaneously convert the information into the format you need. This is easy to do if the sequence of actions is followed, and this task can be completed not only by an experienced user, but also by a beginner who has paid attention to studying the circuit in detail.

How to rename the extension of several files at once

If there is a need to rename the extension of several files at the same time - convert several dozen files from .txt to .html, change image extensions, etc. - you should acquire special software. The Total Commander program is well suited for these purposes. It has a user-friendly interface and is distributed free of charge - you can use it without even registering. You can download the program here: ghisler.com/download.htm.

The procedure for changing the format using Total Commander is extremely simple:

select the required documents using the CTRL+A button combination;

press CTRL+M – a combination that activates group renaming;

indicate the required format, names, numbering and other parameters that interest you;

After this, the selected icons are converted to the format you need

Online

The Internet presents many specialized sites that allow you to change the extension automatically in real time. As an illustration, the site doc.investintech.com/ provides users with the opportunity to convert text files of the .docx format into .doc, readable by a large number of text editors. You can follow the procedure for changing the format on such sites as follows:

using the “Browse” or “Browse” button, select the desired file;

its extension is indicated in the corresponding window;

the button to confirm the operation is pressed;

the new format file is downloaded to the computer’s hard drive

After changing the format using an online converter, it is recommended to check whether the procedure was completed correctly by trying to open the updated document using the desired application. If it opens without problems, everything went correctly. Its properties were not damaged, and you were able to change the document extension without errors. This means that you can continue to use the online converter in the future.

List of existing file extensions: table

To ensure that you do not have any difficulties or errors in reformatting documents, we have compiled a table for you that lists common extensions, their properties, letter values, file assignments and the software with which these documents are opened. After familiarizing yourself with its contents, you can acquire the necessary applications for opening certain documents.

File types	File formats	Extensions	Programs
	Text Document	.txt	Notepad, WordPad, Microsoft Word
Text	Rich Text Format	.rtf	WordPad, Microsoft Word
	Microsoft Word Document	.doc .docx	Microsoft Word
Help	Complited HTML help file	.chm .hlp	Microsoft HTML Helper
Web page	HTML document	.htm.html	Internet Explorer, Opera, Mozilla FireFox, Google Chrome
Font	Font file	.ttf	Windows Font Viewer
	Portable Document Format	.pdf	Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Reader, Foxit Reader
E-books	DjVu Image	.djvu	DjVu Reader, WinDjView
	FictionBook 2.0	.fb2	FB Writer, FBTools HaaliReader for Windows Cool Reader
Archives	Archive RAR, ZIP	.rar .zip	WinRAR, WinZIP
Tables	Microsoft Excel workbook	.xls .xlsx	Microsoft Excel
Presentation	Microsoft Power Point	.ppt .pptx	Microsoft Power Point
Database	Microsoft Access	.mdb .accdb	Microsoft Access
	CD Audio	.cda
	Windows sound file	.wav
Audio	Windows Audio Format	.wma	Windows Media, Winamp
	Audio format MPEG 1 Layer 3	.mp3
	Video format for Windows	.avi	Windows Media, Light Alloy
	MPEG video format	.mpg .mpeg	Windows Media, Light Alloy
	Quick Time Movie	.mdv	Quick Time Movie Player
Video	MPEG-4 video file	.mpg4	QuickTime Player, Windows Media, Light Alloy
	Flash compatible video file	.flv	Media Player Classic, Adobe Flash Player
	Flash animation	.swf	Browser with Flash module
	DivX encoded video file	.divx	DivX Player, CyberLink PowerDVD, QuickTime Player with DivX codec
	Windows Media Video File	.wmv	Windows Media Player, CyberLink PowerDVD, Browser with Windows plug-in, Media Player
	DVD Video Object File	.vob	CyberLink PowerDVD, Media Player Classic
	Windows Bitmap	.bmp
	Compuserve GIF	.gif	ACDSee, InfanView, XnView, programs like gif animator
Images	JPEG file	.jpg .jpeg	Paint, ACDSee, InfanView, XnView
	Tagged Image File Format	.tiff	ACDSee, InfanView, XnView
	Portable Network Graphic	.png	Windows Photo Gallery Viewer ACDSee, Photoshop
Virtual disk	Disk image	.iso .mdf .mds .bin .nrg	Alcohol, Daemon Tools, UltraISO, IsoBuster, Nero
Command, executable	Windows Executable File DOS Batch File	.exe .bat	operating system

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, simply 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 indicate to the operating system that this file has a different format and needs to be opened through another program.

How to change a file extension in Windows 7. If you have the file extension visibility feature enabled, then changing this extension is not a problem. Another question is, is it worth changing it? Not always, but even almost always, such a change ends with your file no longer opening until you return everything to its place. For such file conversions, you need to use specialized programs or online services, of which there are many on the Internet and are often free. Changing the extension manually is possible and necessary only if your file has an incomprehensible appearance, does not open, and you know exactly what program it was created in. But by default, in Windows operating systems, extensions are hidden from view, so that the user does not accidentally erase them when renaming a file.

How to change the file extension inWindows 7

What is a file extension

In simple terms, this is a special encoding of three or four Latin letters, which is written at the end of the file after a period. There must be a period!

Even simpler - what is written from the end to the dot is the file extension. It serves to identify files. There are many such extensions, each program has its own. For example, the Word text editor has extensions . doc(Word 2003) and . docx(Word 2007/2010). Knowing the file extension, you can accurately determine which program can open and view it. That's what they exist for.

What are the file extensions?

There are a great many such extensions. We will talk about this later. And now I’ll tell you for those who don’t yet know how to change the file extension in Windows 7. I’ve already talked about how to do this in Windows XP, so I won’t repeat myself. If anyone is interested, read my article. There is also video video on this topic.

If the file extension is not visible, what should I do?

Sometimes the operating system is configured so that the file extension is hidden and only the file name is visible. This is done so that when renaming a file, a novice user cannot accidentally change the extension. Otherwise, the file may no longer open.

Making a file extension visible is not difficult. In the Windows 7 operating system, you can make file extensions visible in this way.

Enter the menu Start and go to Control Panel.

IN Control panels there is a window in the upper right corner Search. Enter the word in it Folders.

A new window will open Folders settings. Go to the tab View. IN Additional options find the entry Hide extensions for registered file types. If there is a checkmark next to this entry, then uncheck it and click the button below Apply.

Now all your files will have their extensions visible.

Video clip How to change the file extension in Windows 7.

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 - a Microsoft Word format, jpg - one of many image formats or js - intended for storing JavaScript language code, 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 variety of data, type information can 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 its native program - Microsoft Word.

In addition, such an approach also involves structural changes for further correct operation.

Conversion

Extension changes This is not always enough, because the internal structure of 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 Photos solution 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 converters on the Internet, so it is not always necessary to download heavy programs specifically for these needs.