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File Extension Lookup

Look up any file extension to see what it is, which programs open it, the MIME type, supported platforms, and security risks. Curated browser reference.

Category

Security risk

Low riskDocumentsapplication/pdf

.pdf

Portable Document Format

Fixed-layout document format developed by Adobe in 1993, now an open ISO standard.

PDF preserves fonts, images, vector graphics, and layout regardless of the viewer. Supports forms, annotations, encryption, and embedded JavaScript. Most modern browsers render PDFs natively.

Platforms

WindowsmacOSLinuxiOSAndroid

Opens with

  • Adobe Acrobat Reader
  • Preview (macOS)
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Chrome
  • Firefox
  • Foxit Reader

Security note

PDFs can embed JavaScript and execute on open in older readers. Keep Reader updated; consider Print to PDF to flatten a downloaded file.

Related extensions

Browse 90 extensions

Click any card for details

How file extensions work

A file extension is the short suffix after the last dot in a file name. It is metadata, not the file's true content; renaming report.docx to report.pdf does not turn it into a PDF. On Windows the extension drives which program opens a file by default. macOS uses Uniform Type Identifiers behind the scenes but still shows extensions in Finder. Linux desktop environments check the extension and the magic bytes inside the file.

If a file does not match its extension, the actual format is in the first few bytes (the magic number). To check what a file truly contains, use a file signature identifier rather than trusting the extension alone.

  • Low risk

    Open with confidence

    Plain data formats (.txt, .png, .mp3) carry no executable code. They can still leak metadata like EXIF.

  • Some caution

    Inspect before opening

    Office documents, archives, and SVG can carry macros, embedded objects, or scripts. Treat untrusted sources with care.

  • High caution

    Run only what you trust

    Executables, installers, and scripts (.exe, .msi, .pkg, .sh, .ps1) run with your account's permissions. Verify the source and signature first.

How to use

  1. Type a file extension you do not recognise (heic, dmg, ipa, rar, webp, epub) into the search field. Known extensions auto-select the matching card.
  2. Read the headline card for what the format is, which programs open it, the MIME type, and the security risk level.
  3. Use the category filter to narrow the browse list to documents, archives, video, executables, fonts, or any other group.
  4. Use the risk filter to find the formats that need caution (executables, installers, scripts, archives) before opening from email or downloads.
  5. Click Related extensions to jump to similar or competing formats, or click any card in the browse list to load its details.
  6. Copy the bare extension, the MIME type, or the full summary block with one click for use in code, server config, or documentation.

About this tool

File Extension Lookup is a searchable, curated reference of widely used file extensions. Each entry answers the question a searcher actually has: what kind of file this is, which programs open it on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and the web, the canonical MIME type to use in Content-Type or upload validation, the platforms that produce or consume the format, and any security or privacy concerns to know before opening. The dataset covers documents (pdf, docx, doc, rtf, odt, txt, md), spreadsheets (xlsx, xls, csv, tsv, ods), presentations (pptx, ppt, key), e-books (epub, mobi, azw3), images (png, jpg, jpeg, webp, avif, heic, gif, bmp, tiff, ico, svg, psd, ai, raw, dng), video (mp4, mov, mkv, webm, avi), audio (mp3, aac, wav, flac, ogg, opus), archives (zip, rar, 7z, tar, gz), disk images (iso, dmg, img), executables and installers (exe, msi, dll, app, pkg, deb, rpm, apk, ipa), fonts (ttf, otf, woff, woff2), web and source code (html, css, js, ts), data and config (json, yaml, xml, toml, ini, env, log, jsonl, rss), databases (sql, sqlite), subtitles (srt, vtt), CAD and 3D (stl, obj), scripts (sh, ps1, bat), and shortcuts (torrent, url, lnk). Type a few characters of an extension (heic, ipa, env) and the matching card loads with platforms, programs, MIME type, a plain-language explanation, and a security note when the format has known risks. Three copy buttons grab the bare extension, the MIME type, or a copy-friendly summary block. A category filter narrows the browse list to documents, archives, video, executables, and so on, and a risk filter surfaces the formats that need a security review before opening. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you type is sent anywhere.

Free to use. Works in your browser. No signup, no login.

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