OPERATING SYSTEM: FILE EXTENSIONS

Common file extensions that are good to know, organized by file format.

Text Files

.doc	Microsoft Word Document
.docx	Microsoft Word Open XML Document
.log	Log File
.msg	Mail Message
.pages	Pages Document
.rtf	Rich Text Format File
.txt	Plain Text File
.wpd	WordPerfect Document
.wps	Microsoft Works Word Processor Document

Data Files

.123	Lotus 1-2-3 Spreadsheet
.accdb	Access 2007 Database File
.csv	Comma Separated Values File
.dat	Data File
.db	Database File
.dll	Dynamic Link Library
.mdb	Microsoft Access Database
.pps	PowerPoint Slide Show
.ppt	PowerPoint Presentation
.pptx	Microsoft PowerPoint Open XML Document
.sdb	OpenOffice.org Base Database File
.sql	Structured Query Language Data
.vcf	vCard File
.wks	Microsoft Works Spreadsheet
.xls	Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet
.xlsx	Microsoft Excel Open XML Document
.xml	XML File

Image Files

.pct	Picture File

Raster Image Files

.bmp	Bitmap Image File
.gif	Graphical Interchange Format File
.jpg	JPEG Image File
.png	Portable Network Graphic
.psd	Photoshop Document
.psp	Paint Shop Pro Image File
.thm	Thumbnail Image File
.tif	Tagged Image File

Vector Image Files

.ai	Adobe Illustrator File
.drw	Drawing File
.dxf	Drawing Exchange Format File
.eps	Encapsulated PostScript File
.ps	PostScript File
.svg	Scalable Vector Graphics File

3D Image Files

.3dm	Rhino 3D Model
.dwg	AutoCAD Drawing Database File
.pln	ArchiCAD Project File

Page Layout Files

.indd	Adobe InDesign File
.pdf	Portable Document Format File
.qxd	QuarkXPress Document
.qxp	QuarkXPress Project File

Audio Files

.aac	Advanced Audio Coding File
.aif	Audio Interchange File Format
.iff	Interchange File Format
.m3u	Media Playlist File
.mid	MIDI File
.midi	MIDI File
.mp3	MP3 Audio File
.mpa	MPEG-2 Audio File
.ra	Real Audio File
.wav	WAVE Audio File
.wma	Windows Media Audio File

Video Files

.3g2	3GPP2 Multimedia File
.3gp	3GPP Multimedia File
.asf	Advanced Systems Format File
.asx	Microsoft ASF Redirector File
.avi	Audio Video Interleave File
.flv	Flash Video File
.mkv	Matroska Video File
.mov	Apple QuickTime Movie
.mp4	MPEG-4 Video File
.mpg	MPEG Video File
.qt	Apple QuickTime Movie
.rm	Real Media File
.swf	Flash Movie
.vob	DVD Video Object File
.wmv	Windows Media Video File

Web Files

.asp	Active Server Page
.css	Cascading Style Sheet
.htm	Hypertext Markup Language File
.html	Hypertext Markup Language File
.js	JavaScript File
.jsp	Java Server Page
.php	Hypertext Preprocessor File
.rss	Rich Site Summary
.xhtml	Extensible Hypertext Markup Language File

Font Files

Plugin Files

System Files

Settings Files

.cfg	Configuration File
.ini	Windows Initialization File
.prf	Outlook Profile File

Executable Files

.app	Mac OS X Application
.bat	DOS Batch File
.cgi	Common Gateway Interface Script
.com	DOS Command File
.exe	Windows Executable File
.pif	Program Information File
.vb	VBScript File
.ws	Windows Script

Compressed Files

Encoded Files

.bin	Macbinary II Encoded File
.hqx	BinHex 4.0 Encoded File
.mim	Multi-Purpose Internet Mail Message
.uue	Uuencoded File

Developer Files

Backup Files

Disk Files

Game Files

Misc Files