This is a list of file name extensions or suffixes that indicate the format or usage of a file and a brief description of that format. We don't really show the file format itself here. In fact, many formats are proprietary and we couldn't show them to you. In some cases, we link to a definition of the file format or to related information.

In general, if you have the program that uses the file format, that program can be used to open or otherwise use the file. Some file formats (for example, the GIF file format used for Web page images) are standard formats that can be opened by any program that supports that standard format.

Many people have contributed to this list and we thank them! If you know of file name extensions that should be added to this list, please e-mail us and we'll add them.

Every file format in the world - A through E
A

A3L	Authorware 3.x library file
A4L	Authorware 4.x library file
A5L	Authorware 5.x library file
A	Object code library
AAM	Authorware shocked file
AAS	Authorware shocked packet
ABF	Adobe Binary Screen Font
ABK	Corel Draw AutoBackup
ABS	Sometimes used to denote an abstract (as in an abstract or summary of a scientific paper) AutoBackup
ACE	Compression format associated with a program called The Ace Archiver
ACL	Corel Draw 6 keyboard accelerator
ACM	Windows system directory file
ACP	Microsoft Office Assistant Preview file
ACR	American College of Radiology file format
ACT	Microsoft Office Assistant Actor file
ACV	OS/2 drivers that compress and decompress audio data
AD	After Dark screensaver
ADA	Ada source text (non-GNAT)
ADB	Ada source text body (GNAT)
ADB	Appointment database used by HP 100LX organizer
ADD	OS/2 adapter drivers used in the boot process
ADF	Amiga disk file
ADI	AutoCAD device-independent binary plotter format
ADM	After Dark MultiModule screensaver
ADM	Windows NT policy template
ADP	Used by FaxWorks to do setup for fax modem interaction
ADP	Astound Dynamite file
ADR	After Dark Randomizer screensaver
ADR	Smart Address address book
ADS	Ada source text specification (GNAT)
AFM	Adobe font metrics
AF2	ABC Flowchart file
AF3	ABC Flowchart file
AI	Adobe Illustrator drawing
AIF, AIFF	Audio Interchange File, a sound format used by Silicon Graphics and Macintosh applications
AIFC	Similar to AIF (compressed)
AIFF	Similar to AIF
AIM	AOL Instant Messenger Launch
AIS	ACDSee Image Sequence file
AIS	Velvet Studio Instruments
AKW	Contains all A-keywords in the RoboHELP Help project Index Designer not associated with topics
ALAW	European telephony format audio
ALB	JASC Image Commander album
ALL	Arts & Letters Library
AMS	Velvet Studio music module (MOD) file
AMS	Extreme's Tracker module format
ANC	Canon Computer Pattern Maker file that is a selectable list of pattern colors
ANI	Animated cursor in a Microsoft Windows system
ANS	ANSI text file
ANT	SimAnt for Windows saved game file
API	Application Program Interface file; used by Adobe Acrobat
APR	Lotus Approach 97 file
APS	Microsoft Visual C++ file
ARC	LH ARC (old version) compressed archive
ARI	Aristotle audio file
ARJ	Robert Jung ARJ compressed archive
ART	Xara Studio drawing
ART	Canon Crayola art file
ART	Clip Art file format
ART	Another Ray Tracer format
ART	Used by AOL to designate files compressed using the Johson-Grace compreession algorithm
ASA	Microsoft Visual InterDev file
ASC	ASCII text
ASC	PGP armored encrypted file
ASD	WinWord AutoSave
ASD	Microsoft Advanced Streaming Format (ASF) description file; opens with NSREX
ASE	Velvet Studio sample
ASF	Microsoft Advanced Streaming Format file
ASM	Assembler language source file
ASM	Pro/E assembly file
ASO	Astound Dynamite Objects
ASP	Active Server Page (an HTML file containing a Microsoft server-processed script)
ASP	Procomm Plus setup and connection script
ASP	Astound Presentation file
AST	Astound multimedia file
AST	Claris Works "assistant" file
ASV	DataCAD Autosave file
ASX	Cheyenne Backup script
ASX	Microsoft Advanced Streaming Redirector file
ASX	Video file
ATT	AT&T Group 4 bitmap
ATW	AnyTime Deluxe for Windows personal information manager file from Individual Software MultiModule screensaver
AU	Sun/NeXT/DEC/UNIX sound file
AU	Audio U-law (pronounced mu-law) file format
AVB	Inculan Anti-Virus virus infected file
AVI	Microsoft Audio Video Interleaved file format for Windows movie
AVR	Audio Visual Research file format
AVS	Application Visualization System format
AWD	FaxView document
AWR	Telsis file extension format for digitally stored audio.
AXX	ARJ compressed files from a multi-volume archive (xx = a number from 01 to 99)
A3M	unpackaged Authorware MacIntosh file
A4M	unpackaged Authorware MacIntosh file
A4P	Authorware file packaged without runtime
A3W	unpackaged Authorware windows file
A4W	unpackaged Authorware windows file
A5W	unpackaged Authorware windows file

Every file format in the world
B

BAK	Backup file
BAS	BASIC source code
BAT	Batch file
BDF	extension for a program called West Point Bridge Designer
BFC	Windows 95 Briefcase document
BG	Backgammon for Windows game
BGL	from Microsoft concerning scenery files from the well known Flight Simulator
BI	Binary file
BIF	GroupWise initialization file
BIFF	XLITE 3D file format
BIN	Binary file
BK and BK$	Sometimes used to denote backup versions
BKS	An IBM BookManager Read bookshelf
BMK	A bookmark file
BMP	Windows or OS/2 bitmap
BM1	Apogee BioMenace data file
BOOK	Adobe FrameMaker Book
BOX	A mailbox in Lotus Notes
BPL	Borland Delphi 4 packed library
BQY	BrioQuery file
BRX	A file for browsing an index of multimedia options
BSC	MS Developer Studio (MSDev) browser informatio file
BSP	Quake map
BS1	Apogee Blake Stone data file
BS_	Microsoft Bookshelf Find Menu shell extension
BTM	Batch file used by Norton Utilities
BUD	Backup disk for Quicken
BUN	CakeWalk Audio Bundle file (a MIDI program)
BW	SGI Black and White image file
BWV	Business Wave file
BYU	A file in a Movie BYU format
B4	Helix Nuts and Bolts file

Every file format in the world
C

C	C code
C01	Typhoon wave files
CAB	Microsoft cabinet file (program files compressed for software distribution)
CAD	used by the drafting program "Drafix Cad">by Softdesk
CAL	CALS Compressed Bitmap
CAL	Calendar schedule data
CAM	Casio camera format
CAP	Compressed music file format
CAS	Comma-delimited ASCII file
CAT	IntelliCharge categorization file used by Quicken
CB	Microsoft clean boot file
CBI	Column binary formatted file (used in IBM mainframe systems)
CC	Visual dBASE custom class file
CCA	cc:mail file
CCB	Visual Basic Animated Button configuration
CCF	Multimedia Viewer configuration file used in OS/2
CCH	Corel Chart
CCM	Lotus CC:Mail "box" (for example, INBOX.CCM)
CCO	CyberChat data file
CCT	Macromedia Director Shockwave cast
CDA	CD Audio Track
CDF	Microsoft Channel Definition Format file
CDI	Phillips Compact Disk Interactive format
CDM	Visual dBASE custom data module file
CDR	Corel Draw drawing
CDR	Raw Audio-CD data
CDT	Corel Draw template
CDX	Corel Draw compressed drawing
CDX	Microsoft's Visual FoxPro index
CEL	CIMFast Event Language file
CER	Certificate file (MIME x-x509-ca-cert)
CFB	Comptons Multimedia file
CFG	Configuration file
CFM	ColdFusion template files
CFM	Visual dBASE Windows customer form
CGI	Common gateway interface script file
CGM	Computer Graphics Metafile
CH	OS/2 configuration file
CHK	File fragments saved by Windows Disk Defragmenter or ScanDisk
CHM	Compiled HTML file
CHR	Character Sets (Font files)
CHP	Ventura Publisher chapter
CHT	ChartViewer file
CHT	Harvard Graphics vector file
CIL	Clip Gallery download package
CIM	Sim City 200 file
CIN	OS/2 change control file that tracks changes to an INI file
CK1	iD/Apogee Commander Keen 1 data file
CK2	iD/Apogee Commander Keen 2 data file
CK3	iD/Apogee Commander Keen 3 data file
CK4	iD/Apogee Commander Keen 4 data file
CK5	iD/Apogee Commander Keen 5 data file
CK6	iD/Apogee Commander Keen 6 data file
CLASS	Java class
CLL	Crick Software Clicker File
CLP	Windows Clipboard file
CLS	Visual Basic Class Module
CMD	Command file for Windows NT (similar to a DOS .BAT file), OS/2
CMD	DOS CP/M command file
CMD	dBase-II program file
CMF	Corel Metafile
CMG	Chessmaster saved game
CMP	JPEG bitmap
CMP	Address document
CMV	Corel Move animation
CMX	Corel Presentation Exchange image
CNF	Configuration file used by Telnet, Windows, and other applications with varying internal formats
CNM	Windows application menu options and setup file
CNQ	Compuworks Design Shop file
CNT	Windows (or other) system content files for the help index and other purposes
COB	trueSpace2 object
COD	Microsoft C compiler output as displayable machine language/assembler with original C as comments
COM	Command file (program)
CPD	Corel PrintOffice file (drawing)
CPD	Fax Cover document
CPE	Fax Cover document
CPI	Microsoft MS-DOS code page information file
CPL	Control Panel extension
CPL	Corel color palette
CPO	Corel Print House file
CPP	C++ code
CPR	Corel Presents presentation
CPT	Corel Photo-Paint image
CPX	Corel Presentation Exchange compressed drawing
CRD	Cardfile file
CRP	Corel Presents run-time presentation
CRP	Visual dBASE custom report file
CRT	Certificate file
CSC	Corel script
CSP	PC Emcee On-Screen image
CSS	Cascading Style Sheet file (MIME)
CST	Macromedia Director "Cast" (resource) file
CSV	Comma-separated values file
CT	Scitex CT Bitmap
CT	A graphic file associated with the Paint Shop Pro Graphic Editor
CTL	Used in general to mean a file containing control information. FAXWorks uses it to keep information about each fax sent and received.
CUE	Microsoft Cue Cards data
CUR	Windows Cursor
CUT	Dr Halo bitmap
CV	Corel Versions archive
CV	Microsoft CodeView information screen
CWK	Claris Works data file
CWS	Claris Works template
CXT	Macromedia Director protected (not editable) "Cast" (resource) file
CXX	C++ source code file

Every file format in the world
D

DAT	Data file
DAT	WordPerfect Merge Data
DAT	Extension used for some MPEG formats
DB	Borderland's Paradox 7 tables
DBC	Microsoft's Visual FoxPro database container file
DBF	A dBASE file, a format originated by Ashton-Tate, but understood by Act!, Clipper, FoxPro, Arago, Wordtech, xBase, and similar database or database-related products.
DBF	Enable database file (can be opened with Excel 97)
DBF	Oracle 8.1.x tablespace file
DBX	DataBeam image
DBX	Microsoft's Visual Foxpro Table
DCM	DCM module format
DCR	Shockwave file
DCS	Desktop Color Separation file
DCT	Microsoft's Visual FoxPro database container
DCU	Delphi compiled unit file
DCX	Microsoft's Visual FoxPro database container
DCX	Fax image (based on PCX)
DCX	Macros
DC5	DataCAD Drawing files
DDF	Btrieve or Xtrieve Data Definition File, which contains metadata describing a Btrieve or Xtrieve file
DDIF	Digital Equipment or Compaq format. Used for storing images and their word processing documents
DEF	SmartWare II data file
DEF	C++ definition
DEFI	Oracle 7 de-install script
DEM	A file with USGS standards for Digital Elevation Models
DER	Certificate file
DEWF	Macintosh SoundCap/SoundEdit recorded instrument format
DGN	Microstation95 CAD drawing file
DIB	Device-independent bitmap
DIC	Dictionary
DIF	Data Interchange Format spreadsheet
DIG	Digilink format
DIG	Sound Designer I audio file
DIR	Macromedia Director file
DIZ	Description file
DLG	C++ Dialogue Script
DLS	Downloadable sound
DLL	Dynamic-link library
DMD	Visual dBASE data module file
DMF	X-Trakker music module (MOD) file
DOC	FrameMaker or FrameBuilder document
DOC	WordStar document
DOC	WordPerfect document
DOC	Microsoft Word document
DOC	DisplayWrite document
DOT	Microsoft Word document template
DPL	Borland Delphi 3 packed library
DPR	Borland Delphi project header file
DRAW	Acorn's object-based vector image file
DRV	Driver
DRW	Micrografx Designer/Draw
DRW	Pro/E drawing file
DSF	Micrografx Designer v7.x
DSG	DooM saved game
DSM	Dynamic Studio music module (MOD) file
DSP	Microsoft Developer Studio project
DSQ	Corel QUERY file
DST	Embroidery machines graphics file
DSW	Microsoft Developer Studio workspace
DTA	World Bank's STARS data file
DTD	SGML Document Type Definition (DTD) file
DTED	Digital terrain elevation data (geographic data format)
DTM	DigiTrakker module
DTF	Symantec Q&A relational database data file
DUN	Microsoft Dial-up Networking Export file
DV	Digital video file (MIME)
DWD	DiamondWare digitized file
DWG	Autocad Drawing files
DWG	AutoCAD drawing, or older Generic CADD drawing format
DXF	Drawing Interchange (eXchange) format,a text representation of the binary DWG format
DXF	Data Exchange File
DXR	Macromedia Director protected (not editable) movie file
D64	Commodore 64 emulator disk image file

Every file format in the world
E

EDA	Ensoniq ASR disk image
EDE	Ensoniq EPS disk image
EDD	Element Definition Document (FrameMaker+SGML documents)
EDK	Ensoniq KT disk image
EDQ	Ensoniq SQ1/SQ2/KS32 disk image
EDS	Ensoniq SQ80 disk image
EDV	Ensoniq VFX-SD disk image
EFA	Ensoniq ASR file
EFE	Ensoniq EPS file
EFK	Ensoniq KT file
EFQ	Ensoniq SQ1/SQ2/KS32 file
EFS	Ensoniq SQ80 file
EFV	Ensoniq VFX-SD file
EMD	ABT Extended MoDule
EMF	Enhanced Windows Metafile
EML	Microsoft Outlook Express mail message (MIME RFC 822)
ENC	Encore file
ENFF	Neutral File Format extension
EPHTML	Enhanced Perl-parsed HTML
EPS	Encapsulated PostScript image
EPSF	Encapsulated PostScript Files
ER1	ERWin file
ERR	Stores the error messages that result when the RoboHELP Help Compiler attempts to compile the source files of a Help system
ERX	ERWin file
ESPS	ESPS audio files
EUI	Ensoniq ESP family compacted disk image
EVY	Envoy document
EWL	Microsoft Encarta document
EXC	Microsoft Word Exclusion Dictionary
EXE	Executable file (program)

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