Who Should Read This Tutorial:
Windows XP, Vista and 7 Users
Have you ever tried to open a file and had a window pop up asking you what
program to use to open the file? This happens when your computer comes
across a file which was created in a program you don't have on the computer;
or, you have the program but it's not assigned to that type of file.
By looking at the file extension, you can usually tell which program is
supposed to open the file. (Or, you can search and find the program.)
But, first, what is a file extension? Every file has an extension,
usually three (3) letters, at the end of the file name. For instance,
the file "test.pdf" would indicate a file that can be opened by Adobe Reader
or Foxit, to name just two.
However, Windows is usually set to hide the extension of known file types.
In other words, if I sent you the file "test.pdf" you may only see "test" as the
file name. If you tried to open it and it didn't open, you wouldn't
know which program is supposed to open the file because you can't see the
extension.
So, we're going to show you how to change the Windows default setting so
that the extension will show.
1) From the START menu, open the CONTROL PANEL.
2) Make sure you are in the Classic
View in Vista or, in Windows 7, use either small or large icons. Then, find the FOLDER OPTIONS icon.
3) Open the FOLDER OPTIONS item. A new window appears.
Notice the VIEW tab.
4) Switch to the VIEW tab.
Under Advanced Settings, then under FILES AND FOLDERS, scroll down until you find "Hide extensions for
known file types."
5) With your mouse, click the box in front of "Hide extensions for known file types"
and this will remove the checkmark. Click OK, then close the
CONTROL PANEL window.
That's it! You're done! Any questions or problems, feel free to email us
at
[email protected].
