File extension errors are common and occur when the name of the file extension on the file that you are trying to read or open is not compatible with the program that is attempting to open it. Sometimes, the file extension may have been mistyped, or the wrong file extension might have been chosen which prevents the file from being able to be opened and read correctly by the best application or program on your computer.

File extension errors occur commonly when you are either downloading files to run or open or from attachments to emails that you are trying to open or read. File extension errors can be frustrating because it can be hard to find out what is wrong about the file extension or what program is supposed to open it. There are some things that you can do to help fix file extension errors and better ways of dealing with file extension errors.

One of the best ways to avoid file extension errors and many other types of common errors on your computer is to do regular clean up and maintenance on the Registry in your computer and to run anti-spyware and anti-virus software on a regular basis on your computer. Viruses and other computer bugs can cause file extension errors, and this can be very common when you are attempting to open files that are downloaded from sites on the Internet that you are not familiar with. Make sure that whenever you open an attachment from an email or download a file from the Internet that you trust the source.

File extension errors can occur from many different sources, most commonly it is because the program that created the file is not located on the Registry on your computer and the computer does not know what program it should use. You will sometimes get the error message prompting you to either select a program from a list to open the file or to go online to choose a program to open the file. File extensions are descriptive of the type of file that they are. For example, a .doc file extension represents that the file is a document and that you will need some version of a word processor program to open it with. Sometimes, the files were created in different versions of programs than you have on your computer, and this can be another cause of a file extension error.

If you are unsure if you have the latest software versions of programs running on your computer, you can try to download patches or the latest versions to be sure that you are running the latest version of a program that the file was most likely created in. Using the proper anti-virus software and downloading the latest patches and versions of programs can help you prevent and fix file extension errors.

Our Recommendation

File Type or File Extension problems can be detected and repaired by professional Windows Registry optimization software like RegCure that uses Advanced Error Detection Technology (AEDT). RegCure automatically identifies missing, corrupt, or invalid Registry entries that cause unkonwn file type problems and dramatically enhances the performance and stability of your PC. Click the button below to perform a FREE PC error scan that captures every opportunity to fix File Type or File Extension errors.

Designed for Windows Vista, XP, 2000, 98 and ME