This trick works in all modern Windows versions including XP, Vista and Windows 7. Using these simple tweaks, you can control file extensions for any file type you wish to show or hide. The file extension for *.exe files will be always hidden even if you turn on file extensions for other file types: Select all the text in the document by hitting Ctrl+A and then use either of those same methods (Ctrl+Shift+H or Font > Hidden) to unhide all hidden text in the entire document (except in. If you’ve got a lot of hidden text to unhide, or you don’t want to search the whole document for hidden text, no problem. Select the hidden text and use Ctrl+Shift+H or the Font > Hidden setting to unhide the text. In the same registry key, HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile, delete the AlwaysShowExt value and create a new empty string value named NeverShowExt Hidden text has a dotted line underneath it to differentiate it from regular text.Let's try now doing the opposite and force File Explorer to always hide the extension of *.exe files even when file extensions are enabled. Now sign out from your Windows session and sign in back or just restart the Explorer shell.įrom the image above, you can see that extensions are always visible now for *.exe files even if they are turned off for other file types.Open this subkey and create an empty string value here named AlwaysShowExt: This value called the ProgID and it points us to the required subkey of HKCR key, i.e. Look at the right side and see the Default value.Tip: You can access any desired Registry key with one click. Navigate to the following key: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exe.If you are not familiar with the Registry Editor application, here is an the awesome article for you. To force File Explorer to show the file extension for EXE files, you need to do the following: They completely look the same in the Explorer window when file extensions are hidden. One of the two files is an EXE file, and the second one is an icon (.ICO) file. For example, let's make the file extension for EXE files always visible. Look at the following image: In Windows, it is possible to force File Explorer to hide or show file extensions for a specific file type. This can be done using Registry Editor. In the screenshot below, you can see that File name extensions checkbox is unchecked, however, extensions are visible for *.dll files.ĭoes this mean that the extension setting is broken from dll files? No. You may notice that some files, like DLL files, have extensions displayed in File Explorer even if you have turned extensions off. The result will be the same - extensions will be turned on. Here, switch to the View tab and untick the Hide extensions for known file types checkbox. The Folder options dialog will appear on the screen: Inside the Tools menu, you will see Folder Options.
If you are using Windows 7 or earlier versions of Windows, press Alt, then T to show the Tools menu. You can also access Folder Options from the View tab of the File Explorer Ribbon. The second option is in Folder Options inside Control Panel. Quite simple, right? Let's see the second method which is useful for Windows 7 and Windows XP/Vista users too. Tick the File Name Extensions checkbox and you will get them showing instantly: It has a checkbox on the View tab to toggle File name extensions. The first option is in the modern Ribbon interface.
In Windows 8.1, there are some options which allow you to show or hide file extensions in File Explorer.