Below is a list of common file formats. If you would like to add one to the list, please contact us with the extension and a brief description.
- A -
.ACE - ACE Archiver compression file
.AIF - Audio Interchange File used with SGI and Macintosh applications
.ANI - Animated cursors used in Microsoft Windows
.API - Application Program Interface
.ARC - Compressed file format from an old program called ARC
.ARJ - Compressed file by the ARJ program from Robert Jung
.ART - Clipart.ASC - ASCII text file
.ASM - Assembler code
.ASP - Microsoft Active Server Page
.AVI - Audio/Video Interleaved used for Windows based movies.
- B -
.BAK - Backup Files
.BAS - BASIC programming language sourcecode
.BAT - MS-DOS batch file
.BFC - Briefcase document used in Windows
.BIN - Binary File
.BIN - MacBinary-encoded files
.BMP - Bitmap format
.BUD - Backup Disk for Quicken by Intuit
.BZ2 - Bzip2-compressed files.
- C -
.C - C source file.
.CAB - Microsoft cabinet file compressed for software (OS) distribution
.CAT - Security Catalog file.
.CBL - Cobol code.
.CBT - Computer Based Training.
.CDA - Compact Disc Audio Track.
.CDT - Corel Draw Template file.
.CFML - ColdFusion Markup Language.
.CGI - Common Gateway Interface. Web based programs and scripts.
.CHM - Compiled HTML Help files used by Windows.
.CLASS - Javascript Class file.
.CLP - Windows Clipboard file
.CMD - Dos Command File
.CMF - Corel Metafile
.COM - Command File
.CPL - Control panel item - The settings in Control Panels represent CPL files in the Windows\System folder
.CPP - C++ programming language source code
.CSS - Cascading Style Sheet. Creates a common style reference for a set of web pages
.CSV - Comma Separated Values format
.CTY - CityDesk site from Fog Creek Software
.CWK - ClarisWorks/AppleWorks file
.CWS - AppleWorks template file
.CUR - Cursor in Microsoft Windows.
- D -
.DAO - Registry Backup file for Windows registry
.DAT - Data file. Often viewable in a text editor
.DD - Compressed Archive by Macintosh DiskDoubler
.DEB - Debian packages
.DEV - Device Driver
. DIC - Dictionary file
.DIR - Macromedia Director file
.DLL - Dynamic Linked Library. Microsoft application file
.DOC - Document format for Word Perfect and Microsoft Word
.DOT - Microsoft Word Template
.DRV - Device Driver
.DS - TWAIN Data source file
.DUN - Dial-up networking configuration file
.DWG - Autocad drawing
.DXF - Autocad drawing exchange format file.
- E -
.EMF - Enhanced Windows Metafile
.EML - Microsoft Outlook e-mail file
.EPS - Encapsulated PostScript supported by most graphics programs
.EPS2 - Adobe PostScript Level II Encapsulated Postscript
.EVE - TTMaker Event Scheduling File
.EXE - DOS based executable file which is also known as a program.
- F -
.FFL - Microsoft Fast Find file
.FFO - Microsoft Fast Find file
.FLA - Macromedia Flash movie format
.FNT - Font file
.FSH - EA Sports Game Graphic Editor File
- G -
.GIF - Graphics Interchange Format that supports animation. Created by CompuServe and used primarily for web use
.GID - Windows global index. Contains the index information used by "Help" in Windows
.GRP - Microsoft Program Manager Group
.GZ - Unix compressed file.
- H -
.HEX - Macintosh binary hex(binhex) file
.HLP - Standard help file.HT - HyperTerminal files
. HQX - Macintosh binary hex(binhex) file
.HTM - Hyper Text Markup. This markup language is used for web design
. HTML - Hyper Text Markup Language. This markup language is used for web design.
- I -
.ICL - Icon Library File
.ICM - Image Color Matching profile
.ICO - Microsoft icon image
.INF - Information file used in Windows
.INI - Initialization file used in Windows.
- J -
.JAR - Java Archive. A compressed java file format
.JAVA - File containing Java source code
.JPEG - Compression scheme supported by most graphics programs and used predominantly for web use
.JPG - More common extension for JPEG described above
.JS - JavaScript File - A text file containing JavaScript programming code
.JSP - An HTML page that contains a link to a Java servlet.
- K -
.KBM - Keyboard mapping script for Reflection 4.0KDC - Kodak Photo-Enhancer image
KIZ - Kodak digital postcard
KQP - Konica camera file
- L -
LAB - Microsoft Excel mailing labels
.LG - OOTP Developments saved games
.LGO - Windows 9x startup logo
.LHZ - Compressed archive by the LHA program from Haruyasu Yoshizaki
.LIT - eBooks in Microsoft Reader format
.LNK - Windows 9x shortcut file
.LOG - Application log file
.LSP - Autocad(visual) lisp program.
- M -
MAQ - Microsoft Access Query.MAR - Microsoft Access Report.MDB - Microsoft Access DataBase File.MDL - Rose model file. Opens with Visual Modeler or Rational Rose.MFM - MFWorks map file standard by Keigan Systems.MHT - Microsoft single file web archive.MID - MIDI music file.MOD - Microsoft Windows 9.x kernel module.MOV - Quicktime movie.MP3 - MPEG Audio Layer 3.MPEG - Animation file format.MPP - Microsoft Project File.MSG - Microsoft Outlook message file.MSG - Fidonet messages. - N - NCF - Netware command File.NDX - ArcView Fonts Index File by ESRINFF - Haines Neutral File FormatNFF - WorldToolKit Neutral File FormatNITF - National Imagery Transmission FormatNLM - Netware loadable Module. - O - O - Object file, used by linkers.OBD - Microsoft Office Binder file. Ties Office docs together without having to load separate programsOCX - ActiveX Control: A component of the Windows environment.OFT - Microsoft Outlook templateOGG - Ogg Vorbis digitally encoded music file.OST - Microsoft Exchange/Outlook offline file. - P - PAK - WAD file that contains information about levels, settings, maps, etc for Quake and Doom.PCL - Printer Control Language file. PCL is a Page Description Language developed by HP.PCT - Macintosh drawing format. PDF - Portable Document File by Adobe. Viewable in a web browser or with Adobe Acrobat.PDF - Printer Description File. Provides printer support for certain applications.PDR - Port driver for windows 95. It is actually a virtual device driver (vxd).PHP - Web page that contains a PHP script.PHTML - Web page that contains a PHP script. PIF - Program Information FilePIF - Vector graphics GDF file(IBM Mainframe)PIF - Macintosh Compressed archivePL - Perl source code file.PM - Perl Module. PM3 - PageMaker 3.0 document.PM4 - PageMaker 4.0 document.PM5 - PageMaker 5.0 document. PM6 - PageMaker 6.0 document. PNG - Portable Network Graphic file.POL - System Policy file for Windows NT.POT - Microsoft PowerPoint design template.PPD - PostScript Printer description file used in Macintosh and Windows operating systems to provide printer specific features to a driver.PPS - Microsoft PowerPoint slide show.PPT - Microsoft PowerPoint presentation(default extension).PRN - A print file created as the result of "printing to file".PS - PostScript file. PSD - Native Adobe Photoshop format.PSP - Paint Shop Pro image.PST - Personal Folder File for Microsoft Outlook.PUB - Microsoft Publisher document.PWL - Windows Password list file. - Q - QBB - QuickBooks backup company file.QBW - QuickBooks working company fileQIF - Quicken Import file. - R - RAM - RealAudio Metafile.RAR - RAR compressed archive created by Eugene Roshall.RAW - Raw File Format.RDO - Raster Document Object. Proprietary file type used on Xerox Digipath Scan and Makeready workstations.REG - Registry file that contains registry settings.RM - RealAudio video file.RPM - RedHat Package Manager.RSC - Standard resource file.RTF - Rich Text Format. - S - SCR - Screen Saver file.SEA - Self-extracting archive for Macintosh Stuffit files.SGML - Standard Generalized Markup Language.SH - Unix shell script.SHTML - HTML file that supports Server Side Includes(SSI).SIT - Compressed Macintosh Stuffit files.SMD - SEGA mega drive ROM file.SVG - Adobe scalable vector graphics file.SWF - Shockwave Flash file by Macromedia.SWP - DOS swap file.SYS - Windows system file used for hardware configuration or drivers. - T - TAR - Unix Tape Archive.TCW - TurboCAD Drawing File.TGA - Targa bitmap.TIFF - Tagged Image File Format. Universal graphics format supported by most graphics applications.TMP - Windows temporary file.TTF - True Type font. TXT - Text Format. - U - UDF - Uniqueness Definition File. Used for Windows unattended installations.UUE - UU-encoded file. - V - VBS - Microsoft Visual Basic script file.VBX - Microsoft Visual Basic extension.VM - Virtual Memory file.VXD - Windows 9x virtual device driver. - W - WAV - Waveform sound file.WMF - Windows Metafile (graphics format).WRI - Write Document: This is equivalent to RTF, Rich Text Format, that enables saving text with formatting information.WSZ - Winamp Skin. - X - XCF - The GIMP's native image format.XIF - Wang imaging file. Wang Image Viewer comes with Windows 95/2000.XIF - Xerox Image file (same as TIFF).XIF - Image file eXtended by ScanSoft is similar to TIFF and is a Pagis application format.XLS - Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet.XLT - Microsoft Excel Template.XML - Extensible markup language.XSL - XML style sheet. - Y - YBK - Microsoft Encarta yearbook file - Z - ZIP - Compressed Zip archive.
