how to change a file extension

file extensions are a big part of our computing lives and every file we work with has its own special extension and format. So, if you've ever needed to change an extension and you're not sure how to do it, keep reading to find out!

First, let's go over some examples. You may have even experienced these before. Maybe you have a document that is in an .htm (HTML) format, but you'd like to view it under a .txt (text) extension. Or, maybe one of your friends e-mailed you a picture, but instead of it being a JPEG format like you're used to, it was sent as a GIF or maybe even as a PDF. So, how can you change those to be the formats you want? It's pretty easy, so let's get to it!

First, you need to make sure your system is set up to allow file extension changes. To check on that, go to your Start menu, choose Run, type in "explorer" (without the quotes) and click OK. Once the new window opens, go to the Tools menu and click on Folder Options. Next, choose the View tab and find the option that says "Hide extensions for known file types." Make sure that is unchecked and then click OK. Now, you're all set!

Next, go to the file you want to change, right click on it and choose Rename. You can then rename the file with the new extension you prefer. Once you're done, just hit the Enter key on your keyboard and it will be saved. Then you can go and open the file again, but this time, it will be the way you want it!