Configuring Windows Explorer to Show File Extensions and Hidden Folders

Last reviewed: 04/15/2010
Article ID: R11138

The information in this article applies to:

• Windows 7
• Windows Vista
• Windows XP

Summary

This article provides procedures on how to view file extensions and hidden folders in Windows Explorer.

ENABLING FILE EXTENSIONS

By default, Windows Explorer is configured to hide the extension following a file name. This three- or four- letter extension after the file name is used by Windows to identify the file type.  For example, a Microsoft Word file is identified by its DOC or DOCX file extension, and a text file is identified by its TXT file extension.  The following procedure can be used to allow the viewing of file extensions in Windows Explorer.

To enable file extensions in Windows Explorer

1. Right-click the Start button.
2. Select Explore.
3. From the Tools menu, select Folder Options.
• Note: If using Windows 7 or Vista, the Tools menu may not be displayed. To display the menu bar, click the Organize button, point to Layout, and select Menu Bar.
4. Click the View tab.
5. Under Advanced settings, clear the check box for Hide extensions for known file types.
6. Click OK.

Hidden File Information

The Folder Options View tab also contains an option to display hidden files or folders.  This can be useful in certain situations, such as when troubleshooting settings in the STI.INI file or PracticeMaster's Word Document Assembly.

To view hidden files or folders in Windows Explorer

1. Right-click the Start button.
2. Select Explore.
3. From the Tools menu, select Folder Options.
• Note: If using Windows 7 or Vista, the Tools menu may not be displayed. To display the menu bar, click the Organize button, point to Layout, and select Menu Bar.
4. Click the View tab.
5. Under Advanced settings, select the option to Show hidden files or folders.
6. Click OK.

References

• KB Article R10870 - Menu Options in Windows Explorer
• KB Article R10016 - Errors Installing Tabs3 and PracticeMaster Software
• KB Article R10650 - How to Troubleshoot Word Document Assembly Errors

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