List of file formats


This is a list of computer file formats, categorized by domain. Some formats are listed under multiple categories. Most of the file endings are traditionally written lower case, at least on Linux/Unix, such as.gz,.class, and very often on Windows too, e.g..exe. Windows is case insensitive so you can not have a file name duplicated with same or even different content, with e.g. the ending in a different case, but you could e.g. on Linux, with e.g. with different file with.CLASS ending with different content, so it's best to standardize endings on lower case.
Each format is identified by a capitalized word that is the format's full or abbreviated name. The typical file name extension used for a format is included in parentheses if it differs from the identifier, ignoring case.
The use of file name extension varies by operating system and file system. Some older file systems, such as File Allocation Table, limited an extension to 3 characters but modern systems do not. Microsoft operating systems depend more on the extension to associate contextual and semantic meaning to a file than Unix-based systems.

Archive and compressed

  • ?Q? – files that are compressed, often by the SQ program.
  • 7z – 7-zip compressed file
  • ACE – ace: ACE compressed file
  • ALZ – ALZip compressed file
  • ARC – pre-Zip data compression
  • ARJ – ARJ compressed file
  • BZ2 – bzip2
  • CAB – A cabinet file is a library of compressed files stored as one file. Cabinet files are used to organize installation files that are copied to the user's system.
  • CPT, SEA – Compact Pro
  • EGG – Alzip Egg Edition compressed file
  • EGT – EGT Universal Document also used to create compressed cabinet files, replaces.ecab
  • ECAB, EZIP – EGT Compressed Folder used in advanced systems to compress entire system folders, replaced by EGT Universal Document
  • ESS – EGT SmartSense File, detects files compressed using the EGT compression system.
  • FLIPCHART – Used in Promethean Flipchart Software.
  • FUN – A FUN file is a file that has been encrypted by Jigsaw ransomware, which is malware distributed by cybercriminals. It contains a file, such as a.JPG,.DOCX,.XLSX,.MP4, or.CSV file, that has been renamed and encrypted by the virus.
  • GZ – gzip Compressed file
  • G3FC – Zstd based file container with support for encryption and FEC
  • JAR – A Java application in a ZIP file based format
  • LAWRENCE – LBR Lawrence Compiler Type file
  • LBR – LBR Library file
  • LZH – LHA Lempel, Ziv, Huffman
  • LZ – lzip Compressed file
  • LZO – lzo
  • LZMA – lzma Lempel–Ziv–Markov chain algorithm compressed file
  • LZX – LZX
  • MBW – MBRWizard archive
  • MCADDON – Plugin for Minecraft Bedrock
  • BIN – BIN MacBinary
  • OAR – OAR: OAR archive
  • PAK – Enhanced type of.ARC archive
  • PAR, PAR2 – PAR Parchive
  • PAF – PAF Portable Application File
  • PEA – PEA PeaZip archive file
  • PYK – PYK compressed file
  • RAR – Rar Archive, for multiple file archive
  • RaX – Archive file created by RaX
  • SITX – SIT StuffIt
  • TAR – A group of files packaged as one file
  • WAX – Wavexpress – A ZIP alternative optimized for packages containing video, allowing multiple packaged files to be all-or-none delivered with near-instantaneous unpacking via NTFS file system manipulation.
  • XZ – xz compressed files, based on LZMA/LZMA2 algorithm
  • Z – Unix compress file
  • ZOO – Archival format based on LZW
  • ZIP – A popular compression format

    Application packages

  • AAB – An Android App Bundle, which is the Android application publishing format taking over from APK
  • APK – An Android package, or an applications installable on Android ; also a package format of the Alpine Linux distribution
  • APPX – Microsoft Application Package
  • APP – HarmonyOS APP Packs file format for HarmonyOS apps installable from AppGallery and third party OpenHarmony based app distribution stores.
  • DMG – Application file on Macintosh devices. Used by all third-party apps and some direct Apple Inc. applications.
  • DEB – Debian install package
  • HPKG – Haiku application package format
  • IPG – Format in which Apple Inc. packages their iPod games. Can be extracted through Winrar.
  • MSI – Windows installation file
  • RPM – Red Hat package/installer for Fedora, RHEL, and similar systems.
  • SIS, SISX – Symbian Application Packages
  • XAP – Windows Phone Application Package

    Physical recordable media archiving

  • ADF – Amiga floppy disks archive
  • ADZ – GZip-compressed version of ADF
  • B5T – BlindWrite 5 image file
  • B6T – BlindWrite 6 image file
  • BWT – BlindWrite 4 image file
  • BIN – Raw binary format, often paired with CUE
  • CDI – DiscJuggler image file
  • CUE – CDRWrite CUE image file
  • CIF – Easy CD Creator.cif format
  • C2D – Roxio-WinOnCD.c2d format
  • DAA – PowerISO.daa format
  • D64 – Commodore 64 floppy disk archive
  • DAA – Closed-format, Windows-only compressed disk image
  • DMG – Macintosh disk image files
  • DMS – a disk-archiving system native to the Amiga.
  • DSK – For archiving floppy disks from a number of other platforms, including the ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC.
  • ESD – Electronic Software Distribution, a compressed and encrypted WIM File
  • FFPPKG – FreeFire Profile Export Package
  • GHO, GHS – GHO Norton Ghost
  • IMG – Raw disk image, for archiving DOS formatted floppy disks, hard drives, and larger optical media.
  • ISO – Generic format for most optical media, including CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, Blu-ray, HD DVD and UMD.
  • MDS – Daemon Tools native disc image format used for making images from optical CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, HD DVD or Blu-ray. It comes together with MDF file and can be mounted with DAEMON Tools.
  • MDX – Daemon Tools format that allows getting one MDX disc image file instead of two.
  • NRG – Proprietary optical media archive format used by Nero applications.
  • SDI – Archives and provides "virtual disk" functionality
  • SWM – Split WIM File, usually found on OEM Recovery Partition to store preinstalled Windows image, and to make Recovery backup easier
  • TIB – TIB Acronis True Image backup
  • WIM – Compressed disk image used for installing Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PC, Windows Vista or higher, or for restoring a system image made from Backup and Restore.

    Other extensions

  • .CRDOWNLOAD – "Chrome Partial Download" file created by Chromium-based browsers such as Google Chrome. They contain the current portion of a file that has already been downloaded while a download is in progress. The file extension automatically reverts to the original when the download is complete.
  • VDHX – Virtual disk created by Hyper-V
  • PLIST - Short for Property List, stores data in XML-like format on Apple Inc devices

    Computer-aided extensions

Computer-aided is a prefix for several categories of tools which assist professionals in their respective fields.

Computer-aided design (CAD)

software assists engineers, architects and other design professionals in project design.
  • 3DXML – Dassault Systèmes graphic representation
  • 3MF – Microsoft 3D Manufacturing Format
  • ACP – VA Software VA – Virtual Architecture CAD file
  • AMF – Additive Manufacturing File Format
  • AEC – DataCAD drawing format
  • AEDT – Ansys Electronic Desktop – Project file
  • AR – Ashlar-Vellum Argon – 3D Modeling
  • ART – ArtCAM model
  • ASC – BRL-CAD Geometry File
  • ASM – Solidedge Assembly, Pro/ENGINEER Assembly
  • BREP – Open CASCADE 3D model
  • C3D – C3D Toolkit File Format
  • C3P – Construct3 Files
  • CCC – CopyCAD Curves
  • CCM – CopyCAD Model
  • CCS – CopyCAD Session
  • CAD – CadStd
  • CATDrawing – CATIA V5 Drawing document
  • CATPart – CATIA V5 Part document
  • CATProduct – CATIA V5 Assembly document
  • CATProcess – CATIA V5 Manufacturing document
  • CGR – CATIA V5 graphic representation file
  • CKD – KeyCreator CAD parts, assemblies, and drawings
  • CKT – KeyCreator template file
  • CO – Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt – parametric drafting and 3D modeling
  • DAB – AppliCad 3D model CAD file
  • DRW – Caddie Early version of Caddie drawing – Prior to Caddie changing to DWG
  • DFT – Solidedge Draft
  • DGN – MicroStation design file
  • DGK – Delcam Geometry
  • DMT – Delcam Machining Triangles
  • DXF – ASCII Drawing Interchange file format, AutoCAD
  • DWB – VariCAD drawing file
  • DWF – Autodesk's Web Design Format; AutoCAD & Revit can publish to this format; similar in concept to PDF files
  • DWG – Popular format for Computer Aided Drafting applications, notably AutoCAD, Open Design Alliance applications, and Autodesk Inventor.
  • EASM – SolidWorks eDrawings assembly file
  • EDRW – eDrawings drawing file
  • EMB – Wilcom ES Designer Embroidery CAD file
  • EPRT – eDrawings part file
  • EscPcb – "esCAD pcb" data file by Electro-System
  • EscSch – "esCAD sch" data file by Electro-System
  • ESW – AGTEK format
  • EXCELLON – Excellon file
  • EXP – Drawing Express format
  • F3D – Autodesk Fusion 360 archive file
  • FCStd – Native format for FreeCAD CAD/CAM packages
  • FM – FeatureCAM Part File
  • FMZ – FormZ Project file
  • G – BRL-CAD Geometry File
  • GBR – Gerber file
  • GCODE – G-code Geometric code. Instructions for 3D printers.
  • GLM – KernelCAD model
  • GRB – T-FLEX CAD File
  • GRI – AppliCad GRIM-In file in readable text form for importing roof and wall cladding job data generated by business management and accounting systems into modelling/estimating programs.
  • GRO – AppliCad GRIM-Out file in readable text form for exporting roof and wall cladding data job material and labor costing data, material lists generated by modelling/estimating programs to business management and accounting systems.
  • IAM – Autodesk Inventor Assembly file
  • ICD – IronCAD 2D CAD file
  • IDW – Autodesk Inventor Drawing file
  • IFC – buildingSMART for sharing AEC and FM data
  • IGES – Initial Graphics Exchange Specification
  • DGN, CEL – Intergraph Standard File Formats Intergraph
  • IO – Stud.io 3D model
  • IPN – Autodesk Inventor Presentation file
  • IPT – Autodesk Inventor Part file
  • JT – Jupiter Tesselation
  • MCD – Monu-CAD
  • MDG – Model of Digital Geometric Kernel
  • model – CATIA V4 part document
  • OCD – Orienteering Computer Aided Design file
  • PAR – Solidedge Part
  • PART – A file used with Stud.Io
  • PIPE – PIPE-FLO Professional Piping system design file
  • PLN – ArchiCad project
  • PIXIL - Pixilart.com file
  • PRT – NX, Pro/ENGINEER Part, CADKEY Part
  • PSM – Solidedge Sheet
  • PSMODEL – PowerSHAPE Model
  • PWI – PowerINSPECT File
  • PYT – Pythagoras File
  • RLF – ArtCAM Relief
  • RVM – AVEVA PDMS 3D Review model
  • RVT – Autodesk Revit project files
  • RFA – Autodesk Revit family files
  • RFT - Autodesk Revit Revit Family Template
  • RXF – AppliCad annotated 3D roof and wall geometry data in readable text form used to exchange 3D model geometry with other systems such as truss design software
  • S12 – Spirit file, by Softtech
  • SCAD – OpenSCAD 3D part model
  • SCDOC – SpaceClaim 3D Part/Assembly
  • SKB – Google SketchUp backup File
  • SKP – Sketchup
  • SLDASM – SolidWorks Assembly drawing
  • SLDDRW – SolidWorks 2D drawing
  • SLDPRT – SolidWorks 3D part model
  • dotXSI – For Softimage
  • STATE – A file used by the IaC tool to record information about what has been deployed by the tool.
  • STEP – Standard for the Exchange of Product model data
  • STL – Stereo Lithographic data format used by various CAD systems and stereo lithographic printing machines.
  • STD – Power Vision Plus – Electricity Meter Data
  • TCT – TurboCAD drawing template
  • TCW – TurboCAD for Windows 2D and 3D drawing
  • UNV – I-DEAS I-DEAS
  • VC6 – Ashlar-Vellum Graphite – 2D and 3D drafting
  • VLM – Ashlar-Vellum Vellum, Vellum 2D, Vellum Draft, Vellum 3D, DrawingBoard
  • VS – Ashlar-Vellum Vellum Solids
  • WRL – Similar to STL, but includes color. Used by various CAD systems and 3D printing rapid prototyping machines. Also used for VRML models on the web.
  • X_B – Parasolids binary format
  • X_T – Parasolids
  • XE – Ashlar-Vellum Xenon – for associative 3D modeling
  • ZOFZPROJ – ZofzPCB 3D PCB model, containing mesh, netlist and BOM