File Extension Cheat Sheet + Bonus

If you give me a choice, I’d rather grab my tool box and open the computer case than dig into the OS and try to figure out what the heck Windows is doing this time. I’ve done my share of software/OS tweaking and fixing; I’d just rather not. Keep the software; I’ll take the hardware.

And yet, I find myself faced with digging into file systems and registries far more often than swapping hard drives or cables. And let’s face it, there’s a lot more to learn with XP and Vista than there ever was with with W95 or W98. When I’m trying to figure out what is running on an XP machine, I have to google just about everything listed. I just can’t remember it all.

Another list that’s too long to commit to memory is the list of all the file extensions. File extensions, for those who don’t know, are the part of a file name that comes after the dot. For example, in myfile.txt, the txt is the file extension that means the file is a text file.

We all know the common ones like .txt, .exe, .doc, .html. But what happens when you’re faced with an extension you’ve never seen before? You may have sort of an idea of what it is but it sure would be nice to find exactly the type of file it is quickly, wouldn’t it? Well you can. I found a cheat sheet!

Every File Extension In The World is an exhaustive list of, well, just that. I haven’t read through the entire list but I’ve never searched for an extension that wasn’t there. Whether the extension is commonly used or is practically forgotten, from an old DOS program or the latest MPEG Audio file, you’ll find it here.

Added bonus: If you want more information on any extension, head on over to FILExt, The File Extension Source for more information than you probably wanted to know. They also have a very active forum where you can get advice if you’re really stuck.

Neither of these sites are places you’ll be visiting daily but each is worth a bookmark. You never know when you’ll need these references and these two sites, when combined, are all you’ll need to solve any file extension dilemma.