Every file on your system has a file extension associated with it, which tells Windows the file type and the application that is best suited to open it. However, they are not enabled by default on Windows 11, which means that your filenames won’t immediately reflect their extensions. In this guide, we’ll explore a few ways to show file extensions on Windows 11 and why it’s a good idea to do so.
How to Show File Extension in Windows 11
As mentioned earlier, file extensions indicate the type and format of the file it is rendered in. File extensions are usually three or four letters long, such as PNG or DOCX, and are the second part of a file name – the part that comes after the period.
For example, in the file "painting.jpg", painting is the name of the file, while jpg is the extension. This allows Windows to understand which application or set of applications is ideal for opening the files.
Related: How to Change a File Type on Windows 11
