How do I change a file extension on Windows?

Changing a file extension in Windows can be done in several ways, depending on the version of Windows you’re using. In this article, we will explain step by step how to change a file extension for each version of Windows.

Windows 98/ME

1. Launch Windows Explorer and navigate to the file you want to change the extension for.

2. Right-click on the file and select “Rename” from the pop-up menu.

3. Change the file extension to the new extension you want it to have. For example, if you want to change a .txt file to a .docx file, you would change the name of the file from “example.txt” to “example.docx”.

4. Press Enter. The file extension has now been changed.

Windows XP

1. Open My Computer and navigate to the file you want to change the extension for.

2. Right-click on the file and select “Rename” from the pop-up menu.

3. Change the file extension to the new extension you want it to have. For example, if you want to change a .txt file to a .docx file, you would change the name of the file from “example.txt” to “example.docx”.

4. Press Enter. The file extension has now been changed.

Windows Vista/7/8/10

1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the file you want to change the extension for.

2. Right-click on the file and select “Rename” from the pop-up menu.

3. Change the file extension to the new extension you want it to have. For example, if you want to change a .txt file to a .docx file, you would change the name of the file from “example.txt” to “example.docx”.

4. Press Enter. The file extension has now been changed.

Note: It is always important to check the file type before changing the extension to ensure that the file is not accidentally saved in the wrong format.