How to: Show or hide file name extensions

[Dan K. Hansen]

This small excerpt is shamelessly nicked from WinPatrol: www.winpatrol.com/filetype.html

A "file type" helps define the purpose or use of a file. In the DOS and Windows file systems file names have traditionally ended with a period followed by a one to three character file extension. The file extension represents the "file type" but in name only. Some well known file types include .EXE (executable files), .TXT (plain text files), .GIF (image files), .MP3 (MP3 sound files), .ZIP (ZIP archive files).

The newer versions of Windows still support this type of file extension and even allow extensions larger than 3 characters. Unfortunately, Microsoft has chosen by default to hide the file type extensions because someone did a user interface study and concluded they confused users.

Our recommendation is to turn on the display of file extensions. To do so in Win XP, run Windows Explorer (Win Key + E) and select the menu option Tools >> Folder Options..., then click on the "View" tab. A little ways down you'll see a check box that says "Hide extensions for known file types." Uncheck the box so that Windows Explorer (as well as "Open/Save File" boxes) will display the file extensions.

Vista/Win7 users need to click on the Vista Orb and type in "Folder Options" to access this dialog.

You may also want to visit this link at Microsoft:
See how

So why do we recommend it?
Because first of all, it instantly removes any confusion regarding renaming of our files, and it does also give on lesser possibility that the user should actually run a virus infected file: for example "Innocent.doc.exe" would show up as "Innocent.doc" (the "exe" part hidden) and the user might be tempted to read that innocent document, when they in reality executed a gruesome exe-file ..... get the point?