Are you confused by too many different file extensions and their corresponding file formats? With a little know-how you can identify those file extensions in a snap. All file names have extensions that refer to the last letters preceded by the period/dot. This extension helps the operating system identify the file type, enabling it to select the right application to open the file with. Text files have the extension .txt, images have various extensions such as .jpeg and video files have extensions such as .avi, .divx etc. You can easily identify various file formats by knowing the extension of the file.

Tips On Associating File Extensions With The Correct Program

Your computer’s operating system will associate a file extension with the correct program with the aid of the Windows Registry. If the Windows Registry has information pertaining to the file extension and the operating system has the appropriate application needed to open the program, the user will have no problem in opening the files. Your operating system will then continue to open files with that particular extension with the same program in the future.

At times, you can come across a file that appears to be unknown and that is not executable. This is because the system does not recognize the extension and may not have the right application to open files with that extension. You are now faced with the task of associating the file extension with the correct program to open it with. The good news is that you don’t have to be a tech-wiz to figure this out. There are a few simple things you can do to match file extensions to the right program.

The first thing that you can do is to clean your registry (note: direct download link). I recommend this step because sometimes the operating system may fail to recognize a particular file type because the registry file information is corrupted. When you use a registry cleaner, it can detect errors, repair them and fix the registry keys to ensure that your system performs optimally and file extensions are automatically associated with the correct program.

If that step did not solve your problem, you can do a quick search on Google or Yahoo to find out which programs are associated with your unknown file extension. Some systems are programmed not to show file extensions, making it hard to figure out which program to use to execute the file. If this happens to you, you need to open Windows Explorer, Tools, Folder Options, Tab and remove the check against the “Hide extensions for known file types” box. That should show you the extension of the file that you are trying to open.

When you try to open the file, you’ll get the options to select a program from a list. If you have identified the right program to open the file with, then you can select it from the list of programs displayed. If you are uncertain, be sure to remove the check against “always use the selected program to open this kind of file” tab.

If you own Windows XP you should have an even easier time locating the right program to open your file. Windows XP offers users the option to search for information regarding the file extension and the application needed to open it. This can help you locate information online. If you are coming across such unknown files a lot, you can purchase software that lists file extensions, the types of applications that may be used to open the files, the creator of these applications. Once you have located the application needed to open the file, you may have to purchase it or perhaps download it for free. A word of caution here - I strongly recommend that you scan any file that you download with an antivirus software program first before proceeding to install it. Once you have installed the application, the operating system should continue to automatically open files with such extensions with the selected application. If not, you can select that particular program from the list and check the box “always use the selected program to open this kind of file”.

These are just a few suggestions to help you associate the right program with its corresponding file extension.