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“Hide file extensions” means your file manager leaves the suffix—such as .pdf or .docx—out of the displayed filename. It does not remove the extension, convert the file, or hide the file itself. You can show extensions in File Explorer on Windows or Finder on a Mac.
What does “hide file extensions” mean?
A filename extension is the ending after the final period in a name, such as .jpg, .pdf, or .docx. Extensions help identify file types and the apps that can open them, according to Microsoft and Apple.
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When extensions are hidden, a file named report.docx may appear simply as report. The suffix remains part of the filename; the setting only changes how the name is displayed. macOS can still open files with the appropriate apps when extensions are hidden.
How do I show file extensions in Windows?
Windows 11
- Open File Explorer.
- Select View > Show > File name extensions.
Select the control again to hide extensions. Microsoft documents this path in its Windows file extension guidance.
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Windows 10
In File Explorer, select View > Options > Change folder and search options > View, then clear Hide extensions for known file types. The older “known file types” wording refers to the display preference; it does not change file contents or associations.
Windows lists Hidden items separately from File name extensions. Turning on extension visibility does not show hidden files or folders, and hiding extensions does not hide the files themselves.
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How do I show or hide file extensions on a Mac?
Show extensions for most files
- Open Finder and choose Finder > Settings.
- Select Advanced.
- Select Show all filename extensions to show them, or clear it to hide them where individual file settings allow.
Apple notes that this Finder preference affects most, but not all, filenames. When it is on, Finder shows extensions even for files whose individual setting is to hide them.
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- Select the file in Finder and choose File > Get Info, or press Command-I.
- Expand Name & Extension.
- Select or clear Hide extension.
When the Finder-wide option is off, the individual file setting determines whether its extension is displayed. See Apple’s filename extension instructions and its explanation of Finder settings.
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Does changing an extension convert a file?
No. Renaming notes.txt to notes.pdf changes the filename ending, not the file’s format. Microsoft warns that changing an extension’s name does not convert the file. To change a file’s format, use the app that created it or an appropriate export or conversion feature.
On a Mac, Apple warns that changing an extension while renaming a file may prevent it from opening with the app that created it. Show the extension if you need to identify or rename it, but do not treat renaming as conversion.
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Why might an extension still be hidden?
- On a Mac, the global Finder option may be off. If it is off, an individual file can still have Hide extension selected. Check both settings.
- The filename may not have a visible extension. Apple says the global preference affects most, not all, filenames.
- On Windows, verify the relevant control. In Windows 11, check View > Show > File name extensions; in Windows 10, check Hide extensions for known file types under Folder Options.
Historical Windows XP guidance and user-contributed Microsoft Q&A discussions describe exceptions involving some registered file types and shortcuts. That older context does not establish a general exception for current Windows 11 File Explorer.
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Showing extensions lets you see more of a displayed filename, but it is not a safety guarantee. An extension can help indicate a file type and associated app; it does not prove what a file contains or whether it is safe to open.
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