How to Show File Extensions in Windows 11 (4 Methods)

It’s likely that you need to enable hidden files and folders in Windows 11 in order to make them accessible if you’re looking for system folders like Temp to erase temporary files and directories from Windows 11. Similar to this, Windows 11 requires you to see file extensions if you want to change a file type. It is necessary to manually enable this feature because it is disabled by default. In light of that, let’s move on to discovering how to display file extensions in Windows 11. The file type, such as.zip,.pdf,.mp4,.png, etc., will be displayed next to each file, and you can open them with an appropriate tool. So let’s get to the guide right now.

Show File Extensions in Windows 11 (2022)

Four techniques to examine file extensions in Windows 11 are covered in this guide. From File Explorer, Settings, File Explorer Options, and Command Prompt, you can enable file type for each file. To find the approach that works for you, expand the table below.

Show File Extensions in Windows 11 from File Explorer

1. Launch Windows 11’s File Explorer first. The Windows 11 keyboard shortcut Windows + Et will rapidly launch the File Explorer.

2. Next, pick Show under View in the top menu.

3. Next, select File name extensions to activate them.

4. This will make Windows 11 accept file extensions. You may check the file extensions connected to each specific file type by opening a folder containing a variety of files. As an illustration, cite files like shows.zip, shows.pdf, and others.

5. You can select the file and press F2 to rename it if you wish to change the file type. Change the file extension now as you see fit.

6. To conceal file extensions in Windows 11, Open File Explorer once more, then select View -> Show from the top menu. After that, disable File name extensions to finish.

Show File Extensions in Windows 11 from Folder Options

1. In Windows 11, you may now enable a straightforward feature in Folder Options to show file extensions. Click on the three-dot menu in the top menu of File Explorer after opening it. Click on Options here.

2. Next, scroll down on the View tab of the pop-up window. Here, select the Hide extensions for known file types checkbox and then click OK.

3. After that, when you open a folder containing different file kinds, Windows 11 will display the file extensions next to each file’s name.

4. Reopen Folder Options and tick the box next to Hide extensions for known file types to hide file extensions in Windows 11. To conceal the recognised file type in Windows 11, click OK now.

Show File Extensions in Windows 11 from Windows Settings

In Windows 11, you can also see file kinds via the Settings app. Take the following actions to make it active:

1. To enter the Settings app right immediately, hit Windows + I first. Open the For developers area in the right pane after that by selecting Privacy & security from the left sidebar.

2. Next, scroll down to File Explorer and look for theChange settings to show file extensionsoption. Next to it, click the Show settings button.

3. This will launch the same window where we made modifications in the previous technique, the Folder Options. Here, select the Hide extensions for known file types checkbox and then click OK.

4. On your Windows 11 computer, file types are now visible.

Show File Extensions in Windows 11 Using Command Prompt

Finally, Windows 11’s Command Prompt may be used to inspect file extensions. It’s one of the best CMD hints and tips we’ve ever featured. This is how it goes:

Using the Windows key, start typing cmd. In this window, select Run as Administrator from the right pane. Follow our linked guide if you want to open apps with admin permission at all times.

2. After that, paste the command below into the CMD window and press Enter. By doing this, Windows 11 will add the Registry key to display file types. Visit our page for more of the greatest registry hacks for Windows 11.

reg add HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced /v HideFileExt /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

3. There you have it! The file type can now be viewed in Windows 11.

Show File Type in Windows 11 by Default

So, that’s how Windows 11 displays the file type for various file formats. To easily learn about file types and open a certain file format with a specialised tool, I always have the file extensions enabled. That’s all we have to say, though. Read our in-depth article to discover more about these secret Windows 11 capabilities. Visit our carefully curated list to find out more about the top Windows 11 apps. Finally, let us know in the comments section below if you have any queries.