Vista Tutorial - File Name Extension

**Brink** · **STEP ONE:**

How to Show and Change a File Name Extension in Vista

Information

A file name extension is a set of characters added to the end of a file name that identifies the file type or format which determines what program should open it. This will show you how to Hide or Show and Change file extensions in Vista.

NOTE

This will not work for the .lnk shortcut file extension since you cannot see it by default. For how to see this file extension, see: File Name Extension

RELATED LINKS:

STEP ONE:
How to Show or Hide File Name Extensions

1. Open Folder Options.

2. To Show File Name Extensions -
A) Uncheck Hide extensions for known file types. (See screenshot below step 4)

B) Go to step 4.

3. To Hide File Name Extensions -
A) Check Hide extensions for known file types.

4. Click on OK.

STEP TWO:
How to Change a File Name Extension

1. Make sure you have Folder Options set to show file name extensions. (See step 2 in STEP ONE above)

2. Right click on the file and click on Rename. (See screenshot below)

3. Press the right arrow key once. (See screenshot below)

4. Press the Delete key until the file name extension is deleted. (See screenshow below)

5. Type in the new file name extension you want to use and press Enter. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: I used the BAT extension as example here for batch files.

6. Click on Yes to change the file name extension. (See screenshot below)

7. Notice that the icon has changed to match the file name extension. (See screenshot below)

That's it,
Shawn

**Dwarf** · 09-05-2008

If you wish to show the '.lnk' extension for shortcuts, then the above method will not work. To do this, you need to edit the registry. Click on the start orb and type 'regedit' into the search box. Right click on the program, select 'Run as administrator' and provide administrative credentials. When the registry editor opens, browse to the following key:'HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile' (see image below).

You will see an entry 'NeverShowExt'. Right click on this entry and select 'Delete'.

Click 'Yes' to confirm that you wish to delete this value.

The registry at this location will now look like the image below.

Close the registry editor. You will need to restart your system for changes to take effect.

To hide this extension again, open the registry editor and browse to the same key as above. In the right hand panel, right click on a blank space and select 'New' and then 'String Value'.

Give this value the name you had previously deleted, i.e 'NeverShowExt' and press enter/return. The registry at this location will once again look like the following image.

Click image for larger version

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Close the registry editor. You will need to restart your system for changes to take effect.

**Brink** · 09-05-2008

Thank you Dwarf. It has been link in the tutorial for this.

Shawn