Look at the first five to eight files and check their type in the Type column. The Downloads folder and its contents are shown. Here’s how to identify the type of each file shown in File Explorer: Open File Explorer. The file attribute tests determine file types such as directory, character special, FIFO, socket, symbolic link, and external link. The file utility uses three types of tests to determine the file type: the file attribute tests, the position-sensitive tests and the context-sensitive tests. In the Open With dialog box, you can click the program where you want the file to open, or click Browse to locate the program that you want. When you double click a file containing no extension, the Open With dialog opens. Or if you may try to open it with different application like notepad, 7-zip to try your luck. How do you open a file with no extension? The Microsoft Store opens showing all the apps that can open this file. When Windows asks how you want to open this file, you can click or tap 'Look for an app in the Store.'.

Once this is done, you simply click on the file. All of the files you listed are normally created by legitimate programs on your computer, and your computer will not. A different file browser would likely show a different file type for those rather than 'unknown'. apk file on Android you must activate the option 'Unknown origins' by going to: Settings -> Security. 'unknown' in this case means that the file browser you are using doesnt know what format (image, text, etc) they are, and has nothing to do with security or security problems. Search the Microsoft Store for an app that can open the unknown file. apk format you should download it to your Android phone or tablet and open it from there. In File Explorer under View, in the Show/hide group, select the File name extensions check box.īelow is a list of common Windows file name extensions and formats.Frequently Asked Questions How do you open an unknown file? In the search box on the taskbar, type file explorer, and in the search results, select File Explorer. If you don’t see file name extensions when you view files in File Explorer: To learn more about how to change which program will open a file, read Change default programs in Windows 10. You can change a file name extension, but that won't convert the file to another format or change anything else about it except the file name. Most file name extensions are compatible with more than one program that you have installed. For example, the docx extension tells your computer that Microsoft Word can open the file and to display a Word icon when you view it in File Explorer. In expenses.xlsx, for example, the first part of the file name is expenses and the extension is xlsx.Įxtensions tell your computer which application created or can open the file and which icon to use for the file. Windows file names have two parts separated by a period: first, the file name, and second, a three- or four-character extension that defines the file type.

Unknown file extension