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How to change file extension or format in Windows 10? Step by step guide

How to change file extension or format in Windows 10? Step by step guide

Trying to change or modify the file extension is a practice that almost all users have tried to do at some time, it can be to try to correct a wrong document or simply to be able to Open it with a certain program. However, this is a practice that is quite complicated to perform , it can be said that a normal user cannot perform this action.

This is not simply about taking the file and writing the extension you want to place at the end, since this will not generate any type of change in the file . This type of practice is commonly carried out by developers who constantly spend their time doing these activities for some special reason.

Due to the complexity of being able to carry out this process in Windows 10 or any other Windows operating system, here we will explain what are the steps that you will have to perform in order to modify the extension of any file , this will allow you to open it with the program that you deem most convenient without any problem or simply to correct any inconvenience that is present.

How can we make the type of file extensions visible on Windows computers 10?

It is important to note that the Windows operating system by default does not bring the activated option of extensions visibility , therefore this is something that will have to be done manually.

Before trying modify or change the extension of a document , it is essential that you know what type of terminal we are using, for this we will perform the following steps:

  • You should go to the start menu and look for the “Control Panel” option.
  • When you have entered this section, you right click and select “View by icons” or simply at the top right of your screen you choose “Small icons”.

Cómo podemos hacer visibles el tipo de extensiones de los archivos en ordenadores Windows 10

  • Now you are going to click on “File browser options”.

Cómo podemos hacer visibles el tipo de extensiones de los archivos en ordenadores Windows 10

  • The following will be to choose the “View” tab within the window where we have accessed.
  • We locate the section “Hide file extensions for type of known files ” and we are going to permittedDesactivate•.
  • Finally we click on “ Apply ” and finally on “Accept” for changes to be saved.

Cómo podemos hacer visibles el tipo de extensiones de los archivos en ordenadores Windows 10

Steps change the extension of any file in Windows 10

Once you have deactivated the option of “Hide” and all the conditions are given to perform this procedure we can begin. Keep in mind that this is something that you are going to be able to do in three different ways , you just have to choose which one you like best or you find it easier to do this.

In this way, here we present three different methods with which you can change the extension of any Windows 10 file, for this you can follow the following steps:

Manually

To be able to modify the documents manually it is important that you perform each of the steps that we will explain below:

  • Enter a document that you have created and want to know its extension. In case you don’t have any, you can create a new file so you can perform the procedure.

De forma manual

  • Now you enter the top menu and there you select the “Vista” option on the right side you will see several options, you have to check “File name extensions”.

De forma manual

  • Once you have done this, you will begin to see the extensions of each of the files that you have on your system.
  • The next thing you are going to do is change the extension to which you need , for this you will right click on the document and choose the option of “Rename”.
  • Here we modify The document and the system will automatically send a “Risk Alert” notice for the action being taken. You just have to click on “Yes” and the process will be completed successfully.

De forma manual

Using W10 commands

Another way to perform this procedure is through the Windows 10 commands, a fairly short procedure just like the previous one but which can be a bit more complex.

To perform this method you will only have to perform these steps:

  • The first thing to do is enter the end, for this it will be necessary to press the “Windows” + “R” key and enter the “cmd” command.
  • The “cd” command will now be used to open the document path that you want to change or modify. If this file is saved on the “desktop” of your computer you have to place the following: “cd Desktop”.

Usando los comandos de W10

  • Then the “ren” command will be used to make the modification we are looking for. If the document has this name, for example “tuarchivo.txt» , it will be as follows: “tuarchivo.txt” to “tuarchivo.doc”.
  • When all this has been completed, the change will have been made in a successful way and this will look like this: ›tuarchivo.doc•.

Using programs

Other methods that you can use to carry out this modification will be through any program where you can manage a file , these can be photographic applications.

Most of these apps usually after creating or modifying a photo and when saving changes will ask you to choose the type of extension you want . Therefore you can convert your document from a jpg to png or any other you want as long as it is compatible.

In order to perform this procedure it is important that you perform these steps:

  • The first thing will be to open the App that you have decided to use for this method.
  • Now you can open the file you want to modify with the App.
  • Once you have inserted it you go to “Save it” on the left side in most times you will see an option of “Save as”.
  • By selecting “Save as” you have the possibility to save this document with another extension as long as it is compatible.

Once this is done, you will have finished this method in a successful way. In such a way, that with any of these three forms you have the possibility of making this change or modification but, it is important to be very careful with this, since many of these changes can be irreversible leaving this document unusable. strong> Therefore, it is recommended to only do this on occasions that really deserve it.