One of the most annoying things that can happen when you’re trying to complete simple tasks on a computer is uploading the wrong file. You’re about to hit submit on a school paper or want to send a photo throughsocial mediaand you realize the file is in the incorrect format. If you’ve ever dealt with trying to switch aPDFto a Word doc or vice versa and aren’t sure how to do it, it can be incredibly frustrating.
Luckily, you can swap file formats multiple ways on your computer. At least, that’s the case if you’re usingWindows 11. Think about how many times it would’ve been easier if you could fill out a PDF by typing in it rather than printing it out, filling it out, and then scanning it before sending it. You’ve probably dealt with that for doctor’s appointments, administrative paperwork, and more. You’ll need the right software to do that, or you can change thefile formatto make it easier to fill out.
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If you run into this problem a lot, and you want a few different tricks to change the file format, I have you covered. While some file formats can’t be changed, there are a lot that are. Here’s how to change file formats in Windows 11 and what steps you can take to simplify the task.
Microsoft Windows 11
Windows 11 is the newest version of Microsoft’s Windows operating system. It is common for a lot of laptops on the market today and there are multiple versions of it, such as Windows 11 Pro and Windows 11 Home.
What are file formats?
There are a lot of them
File formats define how files are organized and how their data is encoded. You can identify a file’s format by its extension, which appears at the end of the file name, such as .doc for Word documents or .png for images (PNG stands for Portable Network Graphics).
The file format often determines how you’ll use the file, and its purpose will guide your format choice. For instance, if you need an easily editable document,.docor.docxis ideal. If you want it a little more difficult to tweak,.PDFis a better option. While software exists to edit PDFs, it’s not as straightforward as working with a .doc file.
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Some of the most common file extensions that you’ve probably come across are:
How to change file formats in Windows 11 through File Explorer
This is the quickest and easiest way to change file formats
If you want the shortest route to swapping file formats in Windows 11, it’s through File Explorer. File Explorer is typically found in the taskbar at the bottom of the screen, but you may also search for it in the Windows menu. This, similar to Apple’s Finder, can just give you a place to store all of your files or at least give you an overview of where all of your files could possibly be on your computer. You can go deeper and deeper into folders and sections of your computer once you’re in File Explorer – it’s the overarching view of everything stored on it.
This won’t work for every kind of file and can potentially render some files unusable. However, Windows will provide a warning message outlining the concern. Try this trick at your own risk or only perform it with compatible files.
In order to change the file format, you have to remember what you named the file, at least partially.
It is important to note that this will only work for files that are similar. For example, you’re able to change a .jpg to a .png. But you can’t change a .docx to a .ppt or .avi. You may want to test it out on another file of the same extension first, a document or photo you don’t care about, to make sure that you’re doing it properly.
If you want to fully change a file into a completely different extension, you can use a file converter. There are many free options on the web that you can use. Things like a .jpg to .avi converter or a .doc to .pdf converter are some of the most common available.
How to use Command Prompt to change a file extension
This way is a lot trickier, but it’s effective
Command Prompt allows you to go into the backend of the computer, if you will, and provide commands to the operating system in a granular way. It provides a more efficient method for executing tasks compared to navigating through multiple menus. However, it’s important to use Command Prompt carefully – if you perform incorrect commands or make typos, it can permanently alter or damage files. You also must only change files that are compatible. If you don’t want to go this route, you should consider a file converter program. Using Command Prompt should be done extremely carefully, and make sure to always save your work before you try and change it using Command Prompt.
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If you want to change multiple file names, you can repeat step four. After that, the file extension will be changed.
It should be noted that using Command Prompt can potentially alter your files and change them permanently, if you misspell something or don’t execute the command properly.
How to use a compatible app to change the file format
Do this with a number of applications
Want to swap an image file from one format to another? Use an app that’s compatible with both. This goes for any kind of file with multiple kinds, such as audio, visual, text, and more. You can change document types in Word. You can swap file extensions in Paint for images. This is one of the most common ways to change file formats and maybe the one you use most effectively.
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If you want to change file formats in Paint form a jpg to a png or something else, it’s simple:
This isn’t the way all applications work, but it’s how Paint works for changing file formats. Using Save as and swapping file formats is common throughout applications and is worth the try if you want to swap extensions within a compatible app.
