Unknown file types do not have to be baffling - there are plenty of ways that you can identify what an unknown file type is all about. One of the simplest ways to get info on all kinds of unknown file types is by searching on the world wide web. The first thing that you need to do in this case is find the extension of the file. Right click on the file which is of an unknown type and click on Properties. When you do this you should be able to read the full name of the file, including the file extension.

Now, search for that extension (which is generally a three or four letter code) on the internet using a search engine tool such as Google or Yahoo. You may want to add the word “file” or the word “player”, to bring up examples of programs which might be able to read the file for you. Some web sites are set up with details on lots and lots of file types - you can read about the kind of file that you have, what kind of data is stored in it, and sometimes even some history about the file format and how it has developed.

Often, if the file that you have is a media file, you can find a player for it online which is available for free download. If the file has to do with word processing or it is some kind of special proprietary format things might not be so easy. Depending on the kind of data you may have to purchase a program which has the ability to read it, but with the huge number of great freeware and shareware programs on the internet it is more likely that you will find a downloadable player in short order.

Once you find out what kind of file your unknown file type is and you discover what the right kind of player is and get it installed on your system, it is time to open the file! By right clicking on the file in Windows Explorer and choosing “open file” you can access a dialog box where you choose the program that you want to use. If you have installed a new reader to read your unknown file you will probably have to hit the “browse” button and locate the executable file for the reader program.

Make sure that the “always use” check box is checked and then press the “ok” button, that way not only will you open the file with your given reader but you will also associate the file type with that reader. From then on, you should be able to open the file with the same program simply by double clicking it. You should also see a new icon for the file, indicating that it has been associated with a known program. Good luck finding out what kind of file your unknown file type is and finding a program with which you can access it!