File format encyclopedia

Almost Every file
format in the world!

A

ABK	Corel Draw AutoBackup
ACL	Corel Draw 6 keyboard accelerator
ACM	Used by Windows in the system directory
ACP	Microsoft Office Assistant Preview file
ACT	Microsoft Office Assistant Actor file
ACV	OS/2 drivers that compress and decompress audio data
AD	After Dark screensaver
ADB	Appointment database used by HP 100LX organizer
ADD	OS/2 adapter drivers used in the boot process
ADM	After Dark MultiModule screensaver
ADP	Used by FaxWorks to do setup for fax modem interaction
ADR	After Dark Randomizer screensaver
AFM	Adobe font metrics
AF2	ABC Flowchart file
AF3	ABC Flowchart file
AI	Adobe Illustrator drawing
AIF	Apple Mac AIFF sound
ALB	JASC Image Commander album
ALL	Arts & Letters Library
AMS	Velvert Studio music module (MOD) file
ANC	Canon Computer Pattern Maker file that is a selectable list of pattern colors
ANI	Animated Cursor
ANS	ANSI text
API	Application Program Interface file; used by Adobe Acrobat
APR	Lotus Approach 97 file
APS	Microsoft Visual C++ file
ARC	LH ARC (old version) compressed archive
ARJ	Robert Jung ARJ compressed archive
ART	Xara Studio drawing
ART	Canon Crayola art file
ASA	Microsoft Visual InterDev file
ASC	ASCII text
ASD	WinWord AutoSave
ASM	Assembler language source file
ASP	Active Server Page (an HTML file containing a Microsoft server-processed script)
ASP	Procomm Plus setup and connection script
AST	Claris Works "assistant" file
ATT	AT&T Group 4 bitmap
AVI	Microsoft Video for Windows movie
AWD	FaxView document

B

BAK	Backup file
BAS	BASIC code
BAT	Batch file
BFC	Windows 95 Briefcase document
BG	Backgammon for Windows game
BI	Binary file
BIF	GroupWise initialization file
BIN	Binary file
BK	Sometimes used to denote backup versions
BK$	Also sometimes used to denote backup versions
BKS	An IBM BookManager Read bookshelf
BMK	An A bookmark file
BMP	Windows or OS/2 bitmap
BM1	Apogee BioMenace data file
BRX	A file for browsing an index of multimedia options
BSP	Quake map
BS1	Apogee Blake Stone data file
BTM	Batch file used by Norton Utilities
B4	Helix Nuts and Bolts file

C

C	C code
CAB	Microsoft cabinet file (program files compressed for software distribution)
CAL	CALS Compressed Bitmap
CAL	Calendar schedule data
CAS	Comma-delimited ASCII file
CAT	IntelliCharge categorization file used by Quicken
CB	Microsoft clean boot file
CCB	Visual Basic Animated Button configuration
CCF	Multimedia Viewer configuration file used in OS/2
CCH	Corel Chart
CCM	Lotus CC:Mail "box" (for example, INBOX.CCM)
CDA	CD Audio Track
CDF	Microsoft Channel Definition Format file
CDI	Phillips Compact Disk Interactive format
CDR	Core Draw drawing
CDT	Corel Draw template
CDX	Corel Draw compressed drawing
CEL	CIMFast Event Language file
CFB	Comptons Multimedia file
CFG	Configuration file
CGI	Common Gateway Interface script file
CGM	Computer Graphics Metafile
CH	OS/2 configuration file
CHK	File fragments saved by Windows Disk Defragmenter or ScanDisk
CHP	Ventura Publisher chapter
CIL	Clip Gallery download package
CIM	Sim City 200 file
CIN	OS/2 change control file that tracks changes to an INI file
CK1	iD/Apogee Commander Keen 1 data file
CK2	iD/Apogee Commander Keen 2 data file
CK3	iD/Apogee Commander Keen 3 data file
CK4	iD/Apogee Commander Keen 4 data file
CK5	iD/Apogee Commander Keen 5 data file
CK6	iD/Apogee Commander Keen 6 data file
CLASS	Java class
CLP	Windows Clipboard file
CLS	Visual Basic Class Module
CMD	Command file for Windows NT (similar to a DOS .BAT file)
CMD	DOS CP/M command file
CMD	dBase-II program file
CMF	Corel Metafile
CMP	JPEG Bitmap
CMP	Address document
CMV	Corel Move animation
CMX	Corel Presentation Exchange image
CNF	Configuration file used by Telnet, Windows, and other applications
CNM	Windows application menu options and setup file
CNQ	Compuworks Design Shop file
CNT	Windows (or other) system content files for the help index and other purposes
COB	trueSpace2 object
COD	Microsoft C compiler output as displayable assembler with original C as comments
COM	Command file (program)
CPD	Fax Cover document
CPE	Fax Cover document
CPI	Microsoft MS-DOS code page information file
CPL	Control Panel extension
CPL	Corel colour palette
CPP	C++ code
CPR	Corel Presents Presentation
CPT	Corel Photo-Paint image
CPX	Corel Presentation Exchange Compressed drawing
CRD	Cardfile file
CRP	Corel Presents Run-Time Presentation
CRT	Certificate file
CSC	Corel Script
CSP	PC Emcee On-Screen image
CSV	Comma-separated values file
CT	Scitex CT Bitmap
CTL	Used in general to mean a file containing control information.
CUE	Microsoft Cue Cards data
CUR	Windows Cursor
CUT	Dr Halo bitmap
CV	Corel Versions archive
CV	Microsoft CodeView information screen
CWK	Claris Works data file
CWS	Claris Works template
CXX	C++ source code file

D

DAT	Data file
DAT	WordPerfect Merge Data
DBF	Aston-Tate dBASE database
DBX	DataBeam image
DCR	Shockwave file
DCS	Desktop Color Separation file
DCX	Fax image (based on PCX)
DDF	BTRIEVE database
DEF	SmartWare II data file
DEF	C++ Definition
DER	Certificate file
DIB	Device-Independent Bitmap
DIC	Dictionary
DIF	Data Interchange Format spreadsheet
DIR	Macromedia Director file
DIZ	Description file
DLG	C++ Dialogue Script
DLL	Dynamic-Link Library
DMF	X-Trakker music module (MOD) file
DOC	FrameMaker or FrameBuilder document
DOC	WordStar document
DOC	WordPerfect document
DOC	Microsoft Word document
DOT	Microsoft Word document Template
DPR	Borland Delphi project header file
DRV	Driver
DRW	Micrografx Designer/Draw
DSG	DooM saved game
DSM	Dynamic Studio music module (MOD) file
DSP	Microsoft Developer Studio project
DSQ	Corel QUERY file
DSW	Microsoft Developer Studio workspace
DWG	AutoCAD drawing eXchange format
DXF	AutoDesk Drawing Interchange format

E

EMF	Enhanced Windows Metafile
ENC	Encore file
EPS	Encapsulated PostScript image
ER1	ERWin file
ERX	ERWin file
EVY	Envoy document
EWL	Microsoft Encarta document
EXE	Executable file (program)

F

F	FORTRAN file
F77	FORTRAN file
F90	FORTRAN file
FAR	Farandole Composer music module (MOD) file
FAV	Microsoft Outlook navigation bar
FAX	FAX Type image
FH3	Aldus Freehand 3 drawing
FIF	Fractal image file
FITS	CCD camera image
FLC	AutoDesk FLIC animation
FLI	AutoDesk FLIC animation
FLT	Corel filter
FLT	StarTrekker music module (MOD) file
FMB	Oracle binary source code for form, version 4.0 and later
FMT	Oracle text format of form, version 4.0 and later
FMT	Microsoft Schedule+ print file
FMX	Oracle executable form, version 4.0 and later
FOG	Fontographer font
FON	System font
FOR	FORTRAN file
FOT	Font-related file
FP	FileMaker Pro file
FP1	Flying Pigs for Windows data file
FP3	FileMaker Pro file
FPX	FlashPix bitmap
FRM	Form
FRM	FrameMaker or FrameBuilder document
FRM	Oracle executable form version 3.0 and earlier
FRM	Visual Basic form
FRM	WordPerfect Merge form
FRX	Visual Basic form stash file

G

GAL	Corel Multimedia Manager album
GCP	Ground Control Point file used in image processing of remote sensing data .
GED	Graphic Environment Document (drawing)
GEM	GEM metafile
GEN	Ventura-Generated text file
GFC	Patton&Patton Flowcharting 4 flowchart file
GFI	Genigraphics Graphics Link presentation
GFX	Genigraphics Graphics Link presentation
GID	Windows 95 global index file (containing help status)
GIF	CompuServe bitmap
GIM	Genigraphics Graphics Link presentation
GIX	Genigraphics Graphics Link presentation
GNA	Genigraphics Graphics Link presentation
GNX	Genigraphics Graphics Link presentation
GRA	Microsoft Graph
GRD	Grid file, used in image processing of remote sensing data often to form map projections.
GRP	Program Manager Group
GTK	Graoumftracker (old) music module (MOD) file
GT2	Graoumftracker (new) music module (MOD) file
GWX	Genigraphics Graphics Link presentation
GWZ	Genigraphics Graphics Link presentation
GZ	Unix Gzip compressed file

H

H	C program header
HED	HighEdit document
HEL	Microsoft Hellbender saved game
HEX	Macintosh BinHex 2.0 file
HGL	HP Graphics Language drawing
HLP	Help file
HOG	Lucas Arts Dark Forces WAD file
HPJ	Visual Basic Help Project
HPP	C++ program header
HQX	Macintosh BinHex 4.0 file
HST	History file
HT	HyperTerminal
HTM	Hypertext document
HTML	Hypertext document
HTX	Extended HTML template

I

ICA	Citrix file
ICB	Targa bitmap
ICM	Image Color Matching profile file
ICO	Windows Icon
IDD	MIDI Instrument Definition
IDQ	Internet Data Query file
IFF	Amiga ILBM
IGF	Inset Systems metafile
IIF	QuickBooks for Windows interchange file
IMA	WinImage file
IMG	GEM image
INC	Assembler language or Active Server include file
INF	Information file
INI	Initialization file
INP	Oracle source code for form, version 3.0 and earlier
INS	InstallShield install script
INS	X-Internet sign-up file
ISO	Lists the files on a CD-ROM; based on the ISO 9660 CD-ROM file system standard
ISP	X-Internet sign-up file
ISU	InstallShield uninstall script
IT	Impulse Tracker music module (MOD) file
IW	Idlewild screensaver

J

JAR	Java ARchive file (a compressed file for applets and related files)
JAVA	Java source code
JBF	Paint Shop Pro image browser file
JFF	JPEG bitmap
JIF	JPEG bitmap
JMP	SAS JMPDiscovery chart-to-statistics file
JN1	Epic MegaGames Jill of the Jungle data file
JPEG	JPEG bitmap
JPG	JPEG bitmap
JS	JavaScript source code
JTF	JPEG bitmap

K

KDC	Kodak Photo-Enhancer
KFX	KoFax Group 4 image
KYE	Kye game data

L

LBM	Deluxe Paint bitmap
LDB	Microsoft Access lock file
LEG	Legacy document
LHA	Alternate file suffix for LZH
LIB	Library
LIS	Output file produced by a Structured Query Reporting (SQR) program
LOG	Log file
LPD	Helix Nuts and Bolts file
LRC	Intel Video Phone file
LST	List file
LWO	Lightwave Object file
LWP	Lotus Wordpro 96/97 file
LZH	LH ARC compressed archive
LZS	Skyroads data file

M

M3D	Corel Motion 3D animation
MAC	MacPaint image
MAD	Microsoft Access module
MAF	Microsoft Access Form
MAK	Visual Basic or MS Visual C++ Project
MAM	Microsoft Access Macro
MAP	Map file
MAP	Duke Nukem 3D WAD game file
MAQ	Microsoft Access Query
MAR	Microsoft Access Report
MAS	Lotus Freelance Graphics Smartmaster file
MAT	Microsoft Access Table
MAX	Paperport file
MAZ	Hover maze data
MB1	Apogee Monster Bash data file
MCC	Dialer10 calling card
MCS	MathCAD image
MCW	Microsoft Word for Macintosh document
MDA	Microsoft Access add-in
MDB	Microsoft Access database
MDE	Microsoft Access MDE file
MDL	Digital Tracker music module (MOD) file
MDL	Quake model file
MDN	Microsoft Access blank database template
MDW	Microsoft Access Workgroup
MDZ	Microsoft Access wizard template
MED	Music Editor, OctaMED music module (MOD) file
MER	Format for interchanging spreadsheet/database data; recognized by Filemaker, Excel, and others
MET	Presentation Manager metafile
MI	Miscellaneous
MIC	Microsoft Image Composer file
MID	MIDI music
MMF	Microsoft Mail File
MMM	Microsoft Multimedia Movie
MOD	FastTracker, StarTrekker, Noise Tracker (etc.) music module file
MOD	Microsoft Multiplan spreadsheet
MOV	QuickTime for Windows movie
MPE	MPEG animation
MPEG	MPEG animation
MPG	MPEG animation
MPP	Microsoft Project file
MPP	CAD drawing file format
MP3	MPEG Audio Layer 3 (AC3) file
MSG	Microsoft Mail message
MSN	Microsoft Network document
MSP	Microsoft Paint bitmap
MTM	MultiTracker music module (MOD) file
MUS	Music
MVB	Microsoft Multimedia Viewer file
MWP	Lotus Wordpro 97 Smartmaster file

N

NAP	NAP Metafile
NCB	Microsoft Developer Studio file
NSF	Lotus Notes database
NST	Noise Tracker music module (MOD) file
NTF	Lotus Notes database template

O

OBD	Microsoft Office binder template
OBD	Microsoft Office Binder
OBJ	Object file
OBZ	Microsoft Office Binder Wizard
OCX	Microsoft Object Linking and Embedding custom control
OFN	Microsoft Office FileNew file
OFT	Microsoft Outlook template
OKT	Oktalyzer music module (MOD) file
OLB	OLE Object Library
OLE	OLE object
OPT	Microsoft Developer Studio file
ORG	Lotus Organiser file
OR2	Lotus Organiser 2 file
OR3	Lotus Organiser 97 file

P

P10	Tektronix Plot 10 drawing
PAB	Microsoft Personal Address Book
PAK	Quake WAD file
PAL	Windows colour palette
PAT	Corel Draw pattern
PBK	Microsoft Phonebook
PBM	Portable Bitmap
PCD	Kodak Photo-CD image
PCL	HP Laserjet bitmap
PCS	PICS animation
PCT	Macintosh PICT drawing
PCX	ZSoft PC Paintbrush bitmap
PDF	Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format or Netware Printer Definition File
PDF	Package Definition File from Microsoft Systems Management Server
PDQ	Patton&Patton Flowcharting PDQ Lite file
PFA	Type 1 font (ASCII)
PFB	Type 1 font (binary)
PFC	PF Component
PFM	Printer Font Metrics
PGL	HP Plotter drawing
PGM	Portable Graymap (bitmap)
PIC	PC Paint bitmap
PIC	Lotus picture
PIC	Macintosh PICT drawing
PIF	Program Information File
PIF	IBM PIF drawing
PIG	Lucas Arts Dark Forces WAD file
PIN	Epic Pinball data file
PIN	Epic Pinball data file
PIX	Inset Systems bitmap
PJ	MKS Source Integrity file
PKG	Microsoft Developer Studio application extension (similar to a DLL file)
PL	Perl program
PLT	HPGL Plotter drawing
PLT	AutoCAD Plot drawing
PM5	Pagemaker 5.0 file
PM6	Pagemaker 6.0 file
P65	Pagemaker 6.5 file
PNG	Portable Network Graphics bitmap
PNG	Paint Shop Pro Browser catalogue
PNT	MacPaint graphic file
POT	Microsoft PowerPoint Template
PP4	Picture Publisher 4 bitmap
PPA	Microsoft PowerPoint Add-in
PPM	Portable Pixelmap bitmap
PPS	Microsoft PowerPoint slide show
PPT	Microsoft PowerPoint presentation
PRE	Lotus Freelance presentation
PRF	Windows system file
PRN	Print Table (space delimited text)
PRS	Harvard Graphics for Windows presentation
PRZ	Lotus Freelance Graphics 97 file
PS	Postscript Interpreted drawing
PSD	Adobe Photoshop bitmap
PST	Microsoft Outlook Personal Folder File
PTM	Polytracker music module (MOD) file
PUB	Ventura Publisher publication
PUB	Microsoft Publisher document
PWD	Microsoft Pocket Word document
PWZ	Microsoft PowerPoint Wizard
PXL	Microsoft Pocket Excel spreadsheet

Q

QAD	PF QuickArt Document
QBW	QuickBooks for Windows file
QDT	Quick Books data file from the Quicken UK Accountancy/Tax/Invoice program
QLB	Quick Library
QRY	Microsoft Query
QT	QuickTime Movie
QTM	QuickTime Movie
QXD	Quark XPress file

R

R	Pegasus Mail resource file
RA	Real Audio sound
RAM	Real Audio sound
RAS	Sun Raster Images bitmap
RAW	Raw File Format (bitmap)
RC	Microsoft Visual C++ Resource Script
REC	Recorder macro
REG	Registration file
RES	Microsoft Visual C++ Resource
RFT	RFT-DCA
RLE	Run-Length Encoded bitmap
RM	Real Audio video file
RMI	MIDI music
ROV	Rescue Rover data file
RPT	Microsoft Visual Basic Crystal Reports file
RTF	Rich Text Format document
RTM	Real Tracker music module (MOD) file

S

SAM	Ami Professional document
SAV	Saved game file
SCC	Microsoft Source Safe file
SCD	Matrix/Imapro SCODL slide image
SCD	Microsoft Schedule+ 7
SCH	Microsoft Schedule+ 1
SCN	trueSpace2 scene
SCP	Dial-Up Networking Script
SCR	Windows screensaver
SCR	Fax image
SCT	Scitex CT bitmap
SC2	Microsoft Schedule+ 7
SDL	SmartDraw library
SDR	SmartDraw drawing
SDT	SmartDraw template
SEA	Self-expanding archive (used by Stuffit for Mac files and possibly by others)
SEP	Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) bitmap
SHB	Corel Show presentation
SHB	Document shortcut file
SHG	Hotspot bitmap
SHS	Shell scrap file
SHW	Corel Show presentation
SIT	Stuffit archive of Mac files
SLK	Symbolic Link (SYLK) spreadsheet
SND	NeXT sound
SND	Mac Sound Resource
SQC	Structured Query Language (SQR) common code file
SQR	Structured Query Language (SQR) program file
STM	Scream Tracker music module (MOD) file
STY	Ventura Publisher style sheet
SVX	Amiga 8SVX sound
SYS	System file
S3M	Scream Tracker 3 music module (MOD) file

T

TAR	Tape Archive
TAZ	Unix Gzip/Tape Archive
TEX	Texture file
TGA	Targa bitmap
TGZ	Unix Gzip/Tape Archive
THEME	Windows 95 Desktop Theme
THN	Graphics Workshop for Windows thumbnail
TIF	Tag Image File Format (TIFF) bitmap
TIFF	Tag Image File Format (TIFF) bitmap
TIG	Tiger file, used by US government to distribute maps
TLB	OLE Type Library
TMP	Windows temporary file
TRM	Terminal file
TRN	MKS Source Integrity project usage log
TTF	TrueType font
TWF	TabWorks file
TWW	Tagwrite Template
TX8	MS-DOS Text
TXT	Text
T2T	Sonata CAD modelling software file

U

UDF	Windows NT Uniqueness Database File
ULT	Ultratracker music module (MOD) file
URL	Internet shortcut
USE	MKS Source Integrity file

V

VBP	Visual Basic Project
VBW	Microsoft Visual Basic workspace
VBX	Visual Basic custom control
VCF	Vevi Configuration File; defines objects for use with Sense8's WorldToolKit
VDA	Targa bitmap
VI	Virtual Instrument file from National Instruments LABView product
VLB	Corel Ventura Library
VOC	Creative Labs Sound Blaster sound
VP	Ventura Publisher publication
VSD	Visio drawing (flow chart or schematic)
VST	Targa bitmap
VSW	Visio Workspace file
VXD	Microsoft Windows virtual device driver

W

WAD	Large file for Doom game containing video, player level, and other information
WAV	Windows Waveform sound
WB1	QuattroPro for Windows spreadsheet
WB2	QuattroPro for Windows spreadsheet
WBK	Microsoft Word Backup
WBL	Argo WebLoad II upload file
WCM	WordPerfect Macro
WDB	Microsoft Works database
WEB	CorelXara Web document
WGP	Wild Board Games data file
WID	Ventura width table
WIL	WinImage file
WIZ	Microsoft Word Wizard
WK1	Lotus 123 versions 1 & 2 spreadsheet
WK3	Lotus 123 version 3 spreadsheet
WK4	Lotus 123 version 4 spreadsheet
WKS	Lotus 123 Worksheet spreadsheet
WKS	Microsoft Works document
WLF	Argo WebLoad I upload file
WLL	Microsoft Word Add-In
WMF	Windows Metafile
WOW	Grave Composer music module (MOD) file
WP	WordPerfect document
WPW	Novel PerfectWorks document
WP4	WordPerfect 4 document
WP5	WordPerfect 5 document
WP6	WordPerfect 6 document
WPD	WordPerfect Demo
WPD	WordPerfect Document
WPG	WordPerfect Graphic
WPS	Microsoft Works document
WPT	WordPerfect Template
WQ1	QuattroPro/DOS spreadsheet
WQ2	QuattroPro/DOS version 5 spreadsheet
WRI	Write document
WRL	Virtual Reality model
WS1	WordStar for Windows 1 document
WS2	WordStar for Windows 2 document
WS3	WordStar for Windows 3 document
WS4	WordStar for Windows 4 document
WS5	WordStar for Windows 5 document
WS6	WordStar for Windows 6 document
WS7	WordStar for Windows 7 document
WSD	WordStar 2000 document
WVL	Wavelet Compressed Bitmap

X

XAR	Corel Xara drawing
XLA	Microsoft Excel add-in
XLB	Microsoft Excel toolbar
XLC	Microsoft Excel chart
XLD	Microsoft Excel dialogue
XLK	Microsoft Excel backup
XLM	Microsoft Excel macro
XLS	Microsoft Excel worksheet
XLT	Microsoft Excel template
XLV	Microsoft Excel VBA module
XLW	Microsoft Excel workbook / workspace
XM	FastTracker 2, Digital Tracker music module (MOD) file
XR1	Epic MegaGames Xargon data file
XTP	XTree data file
XY3	XYWrite III document
XY4	XYWrite IV document
XYP	XYWrite III Plus document
XYW	XYWrite for Windows 4.0 document

Y

YAL	Arts & Letters clipart library
YBK	Microsoft Encarta Yearbook

Z

Z	Unix Gzip
ZIP	Zip file
ZOO	An early compressed file format

Numbers and symbols

000-999	Used to number old versions of files and number related data files
12M	Lotus 123 97 Smartmaster file
123	Lotus 123 97 file
2GR and 3GR	VGA Graphics driver/configuration files under Windows
386	A file for use in an 80386 or higher microprocessor
669	Composer 669, Unis Composer music mod file
#01 and higher	A method of numbering picture files for a roll of film that has been scanned
$$$	Used by OS/2 to keep track of archived files
@@@	Screen files used in the installation and instruction on use of applications