This is a listing of common and standard file extensions. Most uncommon and non-standard file extensions are not listed here. The ones that are have such a label in parenthesis. Many of these are Windows specific.
Extension |
Type/Description |
Popular programs that support extnsion |
| .arj |
Arj archive |
Arj, Unarj, Winzip |
| .art |
AOL image format (uncommon/non-standard) |
AOL |
| .avi |
audio video file |
(Default), Activemovie |
| .au .snd |
Audio sound file (uncommon) |
(Default) |
| .bat |
DOS batch file |
(Default) |
| .bmp |
bitmap |
ACDSee, Lview |
| .c |
C program source file |
Borland C, Microsoft C |
| .cab |
Microsoft Backup |
(Default), cabview |
| .cda |
CD Audio Track |
(Default) |
| .cfg |
Configuration file (non-standard) |
notepad, editpad, plain text editor) |
| .com |
Command interpreter |
(Default) |
| .cpp |
C++ program source file |
Borland C++, Microsoft C++ |
| .dll |
Dynamic Link Library / Application Extension |
(Default) |
| .doc |
text document |
(Default), Wordpad |
| .ecc |
Unix image format |
*Special viewer* |
| .exe |
executable program |
(Default) |
| .hlp |
Help File |
(Default) |
| .htm .html .shtml |
Hypertext document |
Netscape, Internet Explorer, Mosaic |
| .inf |
setup information |
(Default, right click) |
| .ini |
configuration file (generally for Win 3.1) |
Any text editor, preferably plain text |
| .jpg .jpeg |
jpeg image |
ACDSee, Lview |
| .lnk |
Win95 shortcut file |
(Default) |
| .lzh |
lzh archive |
Lha, Lhasa |
| .mid .midi |
midi music file |
(Default) |
| .mp3 |
mpeg layer-3 audio file |
Winamp |
| .mpg .mpeg |
audio/video file |
(Default), Activemovie, Vmpeg, Xing |
| .mov |
Quicktime movie |
Quicktime |
| .nfo |
text document |
Any word processor |
| .pcx |
image file |
(Default), Lview |
| .png |
image file |
ACDSee |
| .ps |
Postscript File |
Ghostview |
| .qm |
Quality Motion video |
Quality Motion Player |
| .qt |
Quicktime Movie |
Quicktime |
| .ra .rm .ram |
RealPlayer audio video |
RealPlayer |
| .reg |
Registration Entry |
(Default) |
| .scr |
Screen Saver |
(Default) |
| .sys |
System File |
(Default) |
| .tar |
Tar archive (Unix) |
Winzip |
| .txt |
Plain text |
(Default), notepad, editpad |
| .rar |
Rar archive |
Rar, Unrar, Winrar |
| .url |
Internet Shortcut |
Internet Explorer |
| .wav |
audio file |
(Default Player) |
| .zip |
Zip archive |
Winzip, Pkunzip, Pkzip |