File Extensions - Hide or Show

How to Hide or Show Known File Type Extensions in Windows 7​

   Information

A file name extension is a set of characters added to the end of a file name that identifies the file type or format that determines what default program should open it. This will show you how to have Windows 7 hide or show known file type extensions. By default in Windows 7, known file types are set to hide.

EXAMPLE: Files Type Extensions Set to Show and Hide

OPTION ONE

Hide or Show Known File Extensions in Folder Options

1. Open Folder Options, and click on the View tab. (See screenshot below)

2. To Hide Known File Type Extensions
A) Check the Hide extensions for known file types box, then click on OK. (see screenshot above)
NOTE: This is the default setting.
3. To Show Known File Type Extensions
A) Uncheck the Hide extensions for known file types box, then click on OK. (see screenshot above)

OPTION TWO

Hide or Show Known File Extensions using a REG file

1. To Show Known File Type Extensions
A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below.
Show_Known_File_Extensions.reg

Download


B) Go to step 3.
2. To Hide Known File Type Extensions
A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below.
NOTE: This is the default setting.
Hide_Known_File_Extensions.reg

Download


3. Click on Save, and save the .reg file to the desktop.

4. Right click on the downloaded .reg file and click on Merge.

5. Click on Run, Yes, Yes, and OK when prompted.

6. Refresh (F5) Window Explorer or Desktop to see the changes.

7. When done, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

OPTION THREE

Hide or Show Known File Extensions in Registry Editor

1. Open the Start Menu, then type regedit in the search box and press Enter.

2. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.

3. In regedit, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

4. In the right pane of Advanced, right click on HideFileExt and click on Modify. (see screenshot above)

5. To Hide Known File Type Extensions
A) Type 1 (number zero), and click on OK. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: This is the default setting.

B) Go to step 7.
6. To Show Known File Type Extensions
A) Type 0, and click on OK. (see screenshot above)
7. Close regedit.

8. Refresh (F5) Window Explorer or Desktop to see the changes.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Remove or Restore the "Shortcut" Name Extension in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Associate a File Type or Protocol Default Program in Window 7
• How to Unassociate a File Extension Type in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8
• Restore Default Windows 7 File Extension Type Associations
• How to Set Default Associations for a Program in Windows 7
• How to Add or Remove "Always use selected program" in Open with
• How to Have "Always use selected program" Always Checked or Unchecked in "Open with"
• How to Change the Default Icon of a File Extension in Windows 7
• Add "Show/Hide Known File Extensions" to Context Menu in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8

 

[nlijkje]

Unable to hide file extension.

Hello, the HideFileExt variable of my system is set to 0 (zero) but the file extension is still shown.

If I change it through Folder Options it's only temporarily hidden. After reboot file extensions are shown again.

What now, anyone?

 

[Brink]

Hello nlijkje, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You might also check the same registry location as above in Option Three, but start at the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE locationinstead to see if you may have an entry there as well.

If not, then use the Find and Find Next feature in regedit to search for the HideFileExt DWORD to see if there may a stray entry in the registry set to 1.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[nlijkje]

Hi Shawn, thanx for your speedy reply.
I already searched for another HideFileExt entry in the register and found non as a DWORD value (only as folder or data entry).
It's my work PC so it might have to do with policies?

 

[Brink]

Ah, yep most likely a policy set up on a domain. Only the domain administrator could change that policy.

 

[JustinIshley]

the first option is the easiest to follow for a novice like me

 

[tasuooooo]

Brink... lol

hello again

The reg entries are only for local user. is there anyway to add this to all users?
i tried going to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced and add the HideFileExt and set it to 0, but nothing happened.

do u know if it is possible?
I'm making an MDT image and i would like to all computers ill make to have this settings to all users.

thanks again

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I personally feel one should have file extensions showing so malware with a file name like cutephoto.jpg.exe is harder to sneak past someone. On a computer with the file extensions hidden, the sample filename I showed would appear as a harmless .jpg file. A savvy user should still pick up on it (the .jpg showing on a computer with file extensions showing should be the giveaway) but the chances of it slipping past are still increased, especially if the file is an email attachment or link, depending on what email program is being used.

 

[Brink]

Brink... lol

hello again

The reg entries are only for local user. is there anyway to add this to all users?
i tried going to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced and add the HideFileExt and set it to 0, but nothing happened.

do u know if it is possible?
I'm making an MDT image and i would like to all computers ill make to have this settings to all users.

thanks again

Hello Tasuooooo, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You got the right idea, but it should have been under HKEY_CURRENT_USER instead of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.

 

[TomHartwald]

Hi,
just a little add-on with a strange problem:

I used "Folder Options > View" to show the known file extensions.
That worked fine, except for ".url" ...

I checked the well-known registry entries, all ok. I checked with NirSoft's wonderful
"FileTypesMan","Always show this file extension" was selected.

I did a little Inet research and stumbled across that post :
Favorites Bar shows .url extension after name. - Microsoft Community

This user had the opposite problem, ".url" was always displayed. The answer from
Robert Aldwinckle, MVP, was a little cryptic (compared to the Tutorials in this forum),
but it led my attention to another Registry entry:

[ HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ IE.AssocFile.URL ]

( In an abbreviated tutorial style:
( Start RegEdit, navigate to "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\IE.AssocFile.URL"
( In the left pane click on "IE.AssocFile.URL"
( Check now in the right pane the entries

To my surprise in "IE.AssocFile.URL" I found two related entries,
both "AlwaysShowExt" and "NeverShowExt" were present ...
And, ofc, if Windows has the choice, it selects at 100% the one
the user didn't want (Murphy's Law).

I deleted "NeverShowExt" and finally my ".url" is visible.
Wondering who made this stupid entry, maybe my Avant Browser (set as default).

Sorry for the long post ...

Regards,
Tom

Btw, NirSoft's "FileTypesMan" is my number one choice to change the icons associated
with file extensions. It's lean, it's portable and I don't have to install whatsoever
additional stuff like especially versions of MS dotNET, which other tools desperately need.

 

[Brink]

Thank you for the addition Tom.

 

[TomHartwald]

Addition:

A little disadvantage of show the ".url" extension shouldn't be witheld :
Internet Explorer now shows the extension in his Favorites Bar and
in the drop-down Favorites list, and that didn't look good.
(That was the problem in the Microsoft Community post)

I tried to fix it with deleting
"AlwaysShowExt" in "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\IE.AssocFile.URL",
and disabling "Always show this file extension" with "FileTypesMan",
what means, that the visibility of ".url" now strictly follows the system setting
made by "Folder Options > View".

And Internet Explorer makes exactly that, still showing ".url" ...
Note: This behaviour is not affected by setting IE as default browser or not.

Other browsers like Firefox or my Avant Browser are able to ignore
the system settings and hide the ".url" extension, even if "AlwaysShowExt" is set,
what in this case is a wanted behaviour.


Regards,
Tom

 

[Brink]

Hello Tom,

The [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\IE.AssocFile.URL] key is used exclusively by Internet Explorer, so setting it there instead, would only affect Internet Explorer.

 

[TomHartwald]

Hi Brink,
thanks for that info.
It's always good to know, for what a Registry entry is used.

So "NeverShowExt" was set by IE to get rid of ".url" in his Favorites Bar,
and someone other (I presume "FileTypesMan") added "AlwaysShowExt",
whicht caused the problem.

IMHO, hiding ".url" inside the browser like Firefox or my Avant Browser
do is a better way to get a nice view.

Regards,
Tom

 

[beardrinksbeer]

Cooee

when I go to the registry to change the value, I get an error editing value - Cannot edit HideFileExt: Error writing the value's new contents.

I had trouble with my file extensions not hiding last year but it was fixed with this thread, now I am stumped

any help would be appreciated

cheers

 

[Brink]

Hello beardrinksbeer,

Are you able to use one of the other options to set this with?

 

[beardrinksbeer]

no Brink

I still get the same error using the .reg file or going into the registry & doing it manually. going into folder options I can tick the option to hide file extensions, but when I click OK, it does not hide them; when I go back into folder options, it is unticked

it is a head scratcher this one

I don't mind not hiding file options, but it would be nice to have the option

thank you for your help

cheers

 

[beardrinksbeer]

update

I rebooted the comp & used the .reg file; it said it was added to the registry, but it was still showing file extensions. so I went into folder options & it worked when I ticked hide file extensions

so all fixed now

imagine that, a weird comp problem fixed comps never have weird problems ever? do they

thank you for your help Brink

cheers

 

[Brink]

In that case, see if using step 3 in OPTION THREE of the tutorial below to take ownership of the Advanced registry key below, and set permissions to allow your account "Full Control" of it.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

Take Ownership of file

EDIT:
Great news.

 

[beardrinksbeer]

thank you for your help Brink

I have bookmarked the "Take Ownership of file" link, as it will come in handy for other things

now the scroll wheel on my G400 mouse is not working; another mouse works fine. so it is time to dismantle the mouse & have a look. if I can't fix it, I shall give it to George my cat to play with

have a grouse evening Brink

cheers