How to show file extensions on Windows 11

• To show file extensions on Windows 11, open File Explorer, then click on “View,” select “Show,” and choose the “File name extensions” option to show extensions.
• Another way is to open “Folder Options” and clear the “Hide extensions for known file types” option.
• Furthermore, you can enable this feature from the Settings app or by using Command Prompt or PowerShell.

On Windows 11, you can show file extensions on File Explorer in multiple ways, and in this guide, I will show you how to complete this configuration. A file extension is the three or four letters after the period at the end of a filename. It indicates the file format type, such as .txt, .docx, or .pdf. While not strictly necessary for file functionality, extensions offer several benefits.

For example, they provide a quick visual way to identify a file’s format, making it easier to select the right application to open it, and they allow for easy modification of a file’s type, for instance, changing a .txt file to a .bat file for scripting purposes.

File Explorer hides the extensions for known file types by default because it can create a cleaner, less cluttered appearance, particularly for users who aren’t tech-savvy. However, it also helps safeguard against unintentional changes to file extensions, which could render the file unusable. In addition, historically, it was used to mask malicious files disguised as harmless ones, though this is less of a concern today.

Despite the default behavior, it’s often beneficial to display file extensions, and you can change this configuration from the File Explorer and Settings app. If you’re comfortable editing the Registry and using commands, you can also make extensions visible through Command Prompt or PowerShell.

In this guide, I will teach you the easy steps to show extensions for files on File Explorer.

Show file extensions on Windows 11 from File Explorer

To show file extensions on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open File Explorer (Windows key + E) on Windows 11.

2. Click the View menu button in the command bar.

3. Select the Show submenu and choose the “File name extensions” option.

Enable extensions from Folder Options

You can also enable file extensions from the “Folder Options” settings using these steps:

1. Open File Explorer.

2. Click the See more button and click on Options.

   

3. Click the View tab.

4. Clear the “Hide extensions for known file types” option under the “Advanced settings” section.

   

5. Click the Apply button.

6. Click the OK button.

Once you complete the steps, File Explorer will show extensions for known file types on Windows 11, such as .txt, .exe, and .docx.

Show file extensions on Windows 11 from Settings

To make file extensions visible from the Settings app, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.

2. Click on System.

3. Click the For developers page.

4. Click the File Explorer setting.

5. Turn on the “Show file extensions” toggle switch.

   

After you complete the steps, the file extensions will now be available on File Explorer.

Show file extensions on Windows 11 from Command Prompt

You can also use Command Prompt or PowerShell to enable extensions for files by running a command that will edit the Registry to enable the feature. This option will also come in handy when turning on extensions through a script file.

To show file extensions through the Command Prompt on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open Start.

2. Search for Command Prompt or PowerShell, right-click the top result, and choose the Run as administrator option.

3. Type the following command to show extensions for files and press Enter:

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

   

After you complete the steps, File Explorer will start displaying file extensions on Windows 11.

If you want to undo the changes, you can use the same instructions, but in step 3, run this reg add HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced /v HideFileExt /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f command.

Update October 30, 2024: This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and reflect changes to the process.