Not all early operating systems supported file extensions longer than three characters. Below is a listing of operating systems and their support for long file extensions. If your operating system supports long file names, you can rename a file or create a new file with long file extensions.
- How to change or rename a file, folder, or directory.
- How to create a computer file.
Microsoft DOS, Windows 3.x, Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT
All versions of MS-DOS and these versions of Microsoft Windows do not support file extensions longer than three characters.
Microsoft Windows 2000, ME, XP, Vista, 7, and 8
These versions of Microsoft Windows do support file extensions that are longer than three characters. However, it is important to realize that most Microsoft programs that rely on file extensions commonly only utilize three character file extensions. Therefore, if you want to use an extension longer than three characters, make sure the program supports the extension.
BSD, all Apple Operation systems, Linux, OS/2, Unix, and variants
Each of these operating systems supports the availability of a longer than three character file extension.
Even though you can to create a file extension longer than three characters in these operating systems, the programs used to open the files must also support long file extensions.
Related information
- See our file extension definition for further information and related links.
- Computer file help and support.
