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To show file extensions in File Explorer, set HideFileExt to 0 under HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced. This changes the preference for the signed-in user. For most people, the safer and simpler option is File Explorer’s File name extensions control; use the Registry method when you need to automate or inspect the setting.
Use File Explorer instead (recommended for most users)
You do not need to edit the Registry for an ordinary change:
- Windows 11: Open File Explorer and select View → Show → File name extensions.
- Windows 10: In File Explorer, select View → Options, open the View tab, and clear Hide extensions for known file types.
Microsoft documents these Explorer controls in its File Explorer guidance and overview of common file name extensions. Standard Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025; that does not change the Registry procedure, but Windows 10 no longer receives normal free security fixes and support from Microsoft.
What the Registry value changes
Windows filenames commonly have a name and an extension separated by a period, such as report.docx. The extension helps identify the file type and its associated application. Explorer can hide recognized extensions in its display; it does not change the file itself.
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Microsoft’s Group Policy Preferences specification maps Explorer’s “hide file extensions” preference to HideFileExt at the Registry path below:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced| Value name | Type | Data | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
HideFileExt |
REG_DWORD (DWORD, 32-bit) |
0 |
Show known file extensions |
HideFileExt |
REG_DWORD (DWORD, 32-bit) |
1 |
Hide known file extensions |
This is a per-user preference because it is under HKEY_CURRENT_USER (HKCU), not a machine-wide setting. It applies to the account whose Registry hive is being changed. The value is a 32-bit DWORD even on 64-bit Windows. The documented mapping is in Microsoft’s Group Policy Preferences specification.
Showing extensions can make a misleading name such as invoice.pdf.exe easier to spot when extensions were previously hidden. It is not antivirus protection. Also, changing photo.jpg to photo.png does not convert the image; changing the name is not the same as converting the file format.
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Extensions and hidden items are separate controls. Turning on file extensions will not reveal files or folders marked hidden, and it does not show protected operating-system files. Use Explorer’s Hidden items control only when you specifically need to see hidden items; do not expose protected system files just to display extensions. See Microsoft’s guidance on hidden files and folders.
Back up the key before editing
Registry Editor bypasses normal Windows controls, so back up the specific key before changing it. Microsoft cautions users about direct Registry edits and documents exporting and restoring Registry keys.
- Press Win + R, type
regedit.exe, and press Enter. Approve a User Account Control prompt if one appears. - Navigate to
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced. - Select the Advanced key in the left pane.
- Choose File → Export, select a location you can access, and save the exported
.regfile.
This export backs up the selected key; it is not a backup of the whole Registry, Windows, or your files. To restore the exported key later, use Registry Editor’s File → Import and select the saved file.
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Set the value in Registry Editor
- With the Advanced key open, look for
HideFileExtin the right pane. - If it exists, double-click it. If it is missing, right-click an empty area in the right pane and select New → DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name the new value
HideFileExt. - Set Value data to
0to show extensions. Confirm the value type is DWORD, then select OK. - Close Registry Editor and reopen File Explorer. If the display does not change, follow the refresh steps below.
To hide extensions again, return to the same value and set its data to 1. The Explorer interface can also reverse the change.
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Set or check it from Command Prompt
Run Command Prompt as the Windows user whose Explorer preference you intend to change, then enter:
reg add "HKCUSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced" /v HideFileExt /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /fTo hide extensions again, use /d 1 instead of /d 0:
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reg add "HKCUSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced" /v HideFileExt /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /fTo inspect the current value, run:
reg query "HKCUSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced" /v HideFileExtThe result should identify HideFileExt as REG_DWORD and show data such as 0x0 (show) or 0x1 (hide). Microsoft documents the reg add syntax and options, including the value type, data and /f force option, in its reg add reference.
Use a .reg file for a reusable change
A file containing the following entries sets the preference to show extensions:
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[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced]
"HideFileExt"=dword:00000000To hide extensions instead, use dword:00000001. To make the file, paste the chosen text into Notepad, select File → Save as, set Save as type to All files, and save it with a .reg extension. Double-click the file and confirm the import. Reopen Explorer afterward if needed.
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Inspect a .reg file before importing it. Importing one applies the Registry changes written in it, so do not use files from an untrusted source.
PowerShell alternative
PowerShell is another way to set the same current-user preference; it is not a separate Windows setting. To show extensions, run:
New-ItemProperty `
-Path 'HKCU:SoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced' `
-Name 'HideFileExt' `
-PropertyType DWord `
-Value 0 `
-ForceTo hide them again, run:
Set-ItemProperty `
-Path 'HKCU:SoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced' `
-Name 'HideFileExt' `
-Type DWord `
-Value 1Refresh Explorer and verify the result
Open Explorer windows do not always reflect a Registry change immediately. Close all File Explorer windows and open one again. If extensions still appear hidden, restart Windows Explorer through Task Manager, or sign out and back in. A full PC restart is not normally necessary.
For a command-line shell restart, save your work first: the following commands temporarily close the desktop shell, taskbar, and Explorer windows before starting Explorer again.
taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
start explorer.exeUse reg query above to verify the stored value. Then check a file whose extension you know, such as a text file or image. If the value is 0 but a particular file still has no visible extension, it may not have a recognized extension, or you may be looking at a hidden-file issue rather than an extension-display issue.
Troubleshooting and scope
- The value is missing: Create it as New → DWORD (32-bit) Value named
HideFileExt. Do not create a QWORD. - The type is wrong: The expected type is
REG_DWORD. Correct or recreate the value, then verify it withreg query. - The command succeeded but another account is unchanged: HKCU refers to the account running the command. Running it as an administrator does not automatically configure a different user’s profile. Apply the preference separately to each profile or use an appropriate user-management method.
- The setting keeps reverting: On managed PCs, Group Policy Preferences, a configuration baseline, logon script, profile-management product, or provisioning/synchronization tool may reapply a preference. Check that you edited the intended account. If the device is organization-managed, ask its administrator rather than repeatedly forcing the value.
- You expected hidden files to appear:
HideFileExtonly controls extensions. Use the separate Hidden items control for hidden files and folders. - You expected the default app to change: This setting changes display only; it does not change file associations or which application opens a file. Those are managed separately in Windows. See Microsoft’s documentation on default programs and file associations.
Administrator elevation is normally unnecessary for an edit under HKCU, but account restrictions or organizational policy can prevent changes. For multi-user deployments, configure the preference for each user profile or use an appropriate management mechanism; changing one user’s HKCU does not make the setting global. Windows 10 and Windows 11 use the Registry mapping described above, although the Explorer menus differ and managed devices may enforce their own preferences.
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