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System files

481 file extensions

File extensions used for computer operating systems internal use and which are required for proper and healthy functionality of any operating system

System files are very important group of file formats, which are used by computer operating systems. If any of these files are missing or corrupted, the operating system usually doesn't work correctly or doesn't start at all. Many system files have their file attribute set to hidden, so they aren't visible to users, as a preventive measures . Basic system files are incompatible between various operating systems and each operating system has its own native binary formats for them. For example Microsoft Windows system files could never work as system files for Linux or MAC OS X.
Device drives are a bit of exception. Microsoft Windows device drivers are still not compatible with Linux or MAC OS X, but the same driver could possibly be used in different versions of Microsoft Windows, e.g. Windows 95/98/Me have the same driver file format, and often drivers for Windows 95 could work in the newer Windows Me.

Most widely used system file extensions are sys, drv, dll, inf etc..

More experienced users can configure Windows Explorer or file manager to show hidden and system files. But be very careful, any damage to important system files can lead to malfunction or an unstable operating system.

All file extensions in category: System file

481 file extensions

_dl
._dl
Dynamic Link Library DLL file form
_ipod_control
._ipod_control
iPod control data file
_vti_bin
._vti_bin
SharePoint data
~bt
.~bt
Microsoft Windows update directory
$$$
.$$$
OS/2 operating system file type
$03
.$03
MS-DOS pipe
$b5
.$b5
ProDOS 16 or GS/OS shell application
0
.0
Linux shared library link
0
.0
PSERVER printer queue information data
000
.000
CHKDSK found folder
001
.001
Unix system file
100
.100
Award BIOS Upgrade File version 1.0
1092
.1092
Microsoft Windows data
120
.120
Award BIOS upgrade file
1pa
.1pa
Microsoft Windows data
211
.211
ASUS BIOS update file
212
.212
ASUS BIOS update
286
.286
Microsoft Windows virtual device driver
2gr
.2gr
Windows VGA graphic drivers
2sf
.2sf
Puppy Linux data
3_dpo
.3_dpo
Ralink RT3070 Linux driver
3~6
.3~6
Microsoft Windows 3.x system data
32s
.32s
Win32s data
3fs
.3fs
Puppy Linux saved state
3gr
.3gr
Windows Screen Grabber for MS-DOS applications VGA graphics driver
4fs
.4fs
Puppy Linux saved state
500
.500
Linux data
8xu
.8xu
Texas Instruments TI-83 Plus operating system data
aa
.aa
Unix data
aad
.aad
FreeBSD package
access
.access
Java access control data
acct
.acct
IBM AIX system data
acv
.acv
OS/2 audio driver
ad
.ad
UNIX application default resource file
add
.add
Adapter device driver file
adm
.adm
Administrator policy template
adups
.adups
Google Android data
adv
.adv
Gravis Ultrasound virtual device driver file
afs
.afs
FreeBSD data
aix
.aix
IBM AIX data
ali
.ali
BeOS ALI ata
alx
.alx
BlackBerry application loader
ami
.ami
AMI BIOS firmware data
ann
.ann
Microsoft Windows Help annotation
apd
.apd
IBM Lotus printer driver
apdisk
.apdisk
Apple macOS disk information data
apple_partition_map
.apple_partition_map
Apple partition scheme
appledouble
.appledouble
Apple AppleDouble resource data
aql
.aql
AOL DLL library
aqm
.aqm
CP/M information data
ar
.ar
Linux/Unix command library
ara
.ara
ATI Radeon video driver
asd
.asd
Lotus screen driver
aslquery
.aslquery
Apple MAC OS X console query
atahd
.atahd
Puppy Linux ATA hard drive flag
aug
.aug
Red Hat Linux shellvars file
aws
.aws
ActiveWords System file
b
.b
LILO Boot Loader image
b~k
.b~k
Microsoft Windows 3.x data
bada
.bada
Samsung bada data
bash_history
.bash_history
Bash history data
bash_profile
.bash_profile
Bash interactive login shell
bbfw
.bbfw
iTunes firmware update
bcd
.bcd
Microsoft Windows boot configuration
bcs
.bcs
Microsoft Windows 95 browse information
bif
.bif
Boot information file
bio
.bio
OS/2 BIOS file
blf
.blf
Microsoft Windows registry data file
bnr
.bnr
Nintento Wii homebrew data
bom
.bom
Apple Mac OS X Bill of Materials
bootefisignature
.bootefisignature
Mac system data
bridgesupport
.bridgesupport
bridgesupport Mac OS X file extension
bsd
.bsd
FacetWin bitwise backup set file
bsdiff
.bsdiff
Cygwin data
bud
.bud
Microsoft Windows binary printer description
bzi
.bzi
Darik's Boot And Nuke kernel data file
cachedump
.cachedump
Microsoft Windows system data
cat
.cat
Microsoft Security Catalog
cb
.cb
Microsoft clean boot data
cdd
.cdd
Chromeleon device driver
cdev
.cdev
Macintosh II control panel data
cdfs
.cdfs
Compact Disc File System
cdm
.cdm
Novell NetWare disk drivers NPA
cgk
.cgk
BlueSoleil data
cgz
.cgz
Linux drivers archive
chs
.chs
Microsoft Windows Chinese noise-word list
cht
.cht
Microsoft Windows Chinese noise-word list file
cin
.cin
OS/2 change control file
cmg
.cmg
cramfs ROM file system package
cnm
.cnm
Microsoft Windows application menu options and setup file
cnv
.cnv
Microsoft Word text conversion data
colorpicker
.colorpicker
Apple Mac OS X color picker component
component
.component
macOS system component
components
.components
macOS system data
cpi
.cpi
Microsoft MS-DOS code page information
cpl
.cpl
Microsoft Windows Control Panel data
cpy
.cpy
Atari Ramdrive CPY commands
cq
.cq
SYSGEN replacement data
crmlog
.crmlog
Microsoft Windows CRM log
crp
.crp
MSI SecureDoc encrypted data
ctfsys
.ctfsys
OS X Mach Kernel system data
cub
.cub
Windows Installer validation module
cxn
.cxn
Conexant driver
dan
.dan
AMD ATI Radeon video driver
dat
.dat
Program data
dat_tureg_old
.dat_tureg_old
Windows Registry data
dbfseventsd
.dbfseventsd
Mac OS X data
dbl
.dbl
Microsoft Windows XP product activation data
ddp
.ddp
OS/2 device driver profile
ddz
.ddz
Adaptec SCO Unix driver image
dev
.dev
Windows device driver
devicemanifest-ms
.devicemanifest-ms
Microsoft Windows device metadata
dif
.dif
OS/2 display information file
dio
.dio
iPaq 914c flash data
dir
.dir
Directory indicator
dis
.dis
Soundweb firmware update
dl
.dl
Masked Dynamic Link Library
dll
.dll
Dynamic Link Library
dll_1029
.dll_1029
Microsoft Windows Dynamic Link Library
dlm
.dlm
Dynamic Link module
dmd
.dmd
OS/2 Warp device manager driver
do7
.do7
MS-DOS 7 data
documentrevisions-v100
.documentrevisions-v100
macOS (OS X) data
doh
.doh
Geoworks GEOS dependency information
dpb
.dpb
Microsoft Windows driver related data
drv
.drv
Microsoft Windows device driver
ds
.ds
Desktop Korn Shell data
ds_store
.ds_store
macOS folder information
dsk
.dsk
Novell NetWare disk driver
dsp
.dsp
Dr.Halo graphics display driver
dsr
.dsr
Corel WordPerfect driver data
dt
.dt
Macintosh file data fork
dump
.dump
Dump data
dvc
.dvc
LoseThos partition drive file
dvd
.dvd
MS-DOS hardware device driver
dwc
.dwc
Emulex DWC firmware update file format
eas
.eas
OS/2 extended file attributes
ecd
.ecd
CoCut Plotter printer driver
ecw
.ecw
System dll library
efi
.efi
Extensible Firmware Interface
efires
.efires
Extensible Firmware Interface image
emm
.emm
Expanded memory manager data
env
.env
HP-95 environment data
equiv
.equiv
IBM AIX host file
esn
.esn
Microsoft Windows XP System32 cache
etl
.etl
Microsoft Windows trace log
evt
.evt
Microsoft Windows 2000 and XP event log
evtx
.evtx
Microsoft Windows event log
exopc
.exopc
ExoPC application data
ext2
.ext2
Linux second extended file system
ext4
.ext4
Fourth extended filesystem
failurerequests
.failurerequests
macOS (OS X) data
ffw
.ffw
Festo Firmware file
fgdump-log
.fgdump-log
Microsoft Windows fgdump data
fid
.fid
Microsoft Windows index
file
.file
macOS (OS X) data
file
.file
AS/400 physical data
fin
.fin
AMD ATI Radeon video driver
flg
.flg
Puppy Linux partition flag
fll
.fll
Visual FoxPro dynamic link library
flt
.flt
OS/2 warp filter device driver file
folder
.folder
Microsoft Windows Explorer folder data
fs
.fs
Mac OS X file system plug-in
fs
.fs
NetBSD system data
fseventsd
.fseventsd
macOS (OS X) data
fstab
.fstab
File system table
ftg
.ftg
Microsoft Windows Help data
fwl
.fwl
FileWrangler EXE library
fx
.fx
DirectX D3DXEffect object
fx
.fx
Microsoft Windows prefetch data
gadget
.gadget
Windows sidebar gadget
gid
.gid
Microsoft Windows Help general index
gpd
.gpd
Microsoft Windows universal printer unidrv minidriver
gr2
.gr2
Microsoft Windows screen driver
gr3
.gr3
Graphics device driver
grb
.grb
MS-DOS Shell Monitor data
grd
.grd
Drivers for GRX
grl
.grl
Microsoft Windows Update status data
grm
.grm
Microsoft Windows data
group
.group
Linux system data
grp
.grp
Microsoft Windows program group
gzp
.gzp
Gazelle system page
h1c
.h1c
Windows Vista file related to Assistance Platform (AP) help
h1f
.h1f
Microsoft Windows Assistance Platform client help data
h1k
.h1k
Keyword index - Microsoft Windows Assistance Platform client help related data
h1s
.h1s
Microsoft Windows Assistance Platform client help document
h1t
.h1t
Microsoft Windows Assistance Platform client help related data
h1v
.h1v
Microsoft Windows Assistance Platform task metadata
h86
.h86
CP/M data
ham
.ham
Novell NetWare disk drivers NPA
hcd
.hcd
Huawei system data
hdmp
.hdmp
Microsoft Windows heap dump data
hhc
.hhc
HTML Help table of contents
hhk
.hhk
Microsoft HTML help index
hiv
.hiv
Windows NT registry hive
hlp
.hlp
Help file
hlx
.hlx
ATI Radeon video driver
hpc
.hpc
System dynamic library file
hpfs
.hpfs
OS/2 High Performance File System
hsancillary
.hsancillary
Mac OS data
htt
.htt
Microsoft HyperText template
htw
.htw
Microsoft Windows data
hv
.hv
Microsoft Windows Mobile hive
hx1
.hx1
Microsoft Windows data
hxi
.hxi
Microsoft Help compiled storage file
ia64
.ia64
HP-UX data
icap
.icap
Internet preference file
icd
.icd
Microsoft Windows OpenGL installable client driver
identifier
.identifier
Microsoft Windows zone identifier data
idx
.idx
Index file
idx_dll
.idx_dll
Microsoft Office IDX_DLL file
ifs
.ifs
IBM OS/2 installable file system data
im4p
.im4p
Apple iOS IMG4 payload data
ina
.ina
MS-DOS data
inf
.inf
Autostart CDROM script
inf
.inf
Windows installation script
inp
.inp
Sony HD camera system
ins
.ins
Microsoft Windows Internet Naming Service
install_backup
.install_backup
AVG shell extension module
installhelper
.installhelper
Apple Mac Install Helper document
int
.int
Sony HD camera system data
ion
.ion
4DOS description
ioplist
.ioplist
Apple Mac OS X ioplist file
iot
.iot
Hitachi Ladder Editor IO comment
irc
.irc
Nevo Infra-Red device code file format
irix6
.irix6
Irix 6 file
iswp
.iswp
Apple iTunes iOS firmware update
jfs
.jfs
Linux/Unix Journaling file system
jlb
.jlb
PAC Mate BX keyboard driver
jnilib
.jnilib
Java JNI library
job
.job
Microsoft Windows Task Scheduler task object
journal_info_block
.journal_info_block
Apple Mac filesystem
k48
.k48
Apple iOS kernel cache
kbd
.kbd
Keyboard script file layout
kdmp
.kdmp
Microsoft Windows crash dump data
kext
.kext
Apple Mac kernel extension
key
.key
Microsoft Windows 7 registry key file
kmd
.kmd
Clicker module output
ko
.ko
Linux kernel module
krm
.krm
Kenwood firmware data
kss
.kss
KDE screen saver
lan
.lan
Novell NetWare LAN driver
lbr
.lbr
Lotus 1-2-3 display driver data
le
.le
le Mac OS X file
lex
.lex
Lex or Flex data
lgp
.lgp
Microsoft Windows application log
lgs
.lgs
Microsoft Windows application log
lgx
.lgx
Microsoft Windows received message data
lls
.lls
Windows system file
ln
.ln
UNIX lint data
localized
.localized
macOS (OS X) system localization
location
.location
Microsoft Windows 10 registry data
lock
.lock
Lock data
log1
.log1
Microsoft Windows registry hive log
log2
.log2
Microsoft Windows registry hive log 2
low
.low
PDP-10 low segment of a two-segment program
lproj
.lproj
Mac localized project folder
ls_
.ls_
Unix ls directory
ltn
.ltn
CD-ROM driver
lzt
.lzt
HP StoreEver 1/8 G2 firmware data
m$s
.m$s
MindStor firmware update
macs
.macs
Apple Mac OS system data
man
.man
Microsoft Windows 2000/XP mandatory user profile
mapimail
.mapimail
Windows Send To Mail Recipient data
marker
.marker
Microsoft Windows 10 system data
mci
.mci
Media Control Interface command script
mcp
.mcp
Amiga MUI preference class or library
mdimporter
.mdimporter
Spotlight importer setting file
mdmp
.mdmp
Microsoft Windows minidump
mft
.mft
Microsoft Windows NTFS master file table
migtable
.migtable
Microsoft Windows data
mkext
.mkext
Mac Mach kernel extension memory cache
mlb
.mlb
Microsoft Windows Mobile media library
mnu
.mnu
MS-DOS mouse menu
mob
.mob
PEN Windows device definition file
mod
.mod
Microsoft Windows kernel module
mod
.mod
MS-DOS implementing support for Windows DLL's
mof
.mof
Systems Management Server managed object format
mojito
.mojito
Limewire Kademlia data
monitorpanel
.monitorpanel
Apple Mac display panel plug-in file type
mot
.mot
Linux load instructions
mpa
.mpa
Palm memo
mpkg
.mpkg
Meta package
mps_
.mps_
MPW Shell data
mq
.mq
Microsoft Windows message data
msc
.msc
Microsoft management console control data
msdm
.msdm
Microsoft Windows system data
msn
.msn
Microsoft Windows network related data
mui
.mui
MultiLanguage Windows resource data
mui
.mui
Amiga MUI default class/library data
muimanifest
.muimanifest
Microsoft Windows multilingual user interface data
mum
.mum
Microsoft Windows Update Package
mva
.mva
Matrox video card driver
mydocs
.mydocs
Send to My Documents
n81
.n81
Apple iOS kernel cache
n90
.n90
Apple iOS kernel cache
n90ap
.n90ap
iPhone Jailbreak firmware
ndrv
.ndrv
Apple Mac OS system driver
nib
.nib
Adobe AIR data
nib
.nib
Interface Builder user interface resources
nkey
.nkey
Silicon Graphics Onyx4 data
nld
.nld
AMD ATI Radeon video driver
nlm
.nlm
Novell Netware loadable module file
nls
.nls
Microsoft National Language Support data
nos
.nos
JNOS system data
not_terminated
.not_terminated
Mac OS X audit log
novs
.novs
Novell NetWare Control Center file
nst
.nst
Nokia Star Torrent system data
nu4
.nu4
Norton Utilities DLL root data
nu6
.nu6
Norton Utility system dll library
nvu
.nvu
nVidia graphic driver data
nxd
.nxd
AdaOS debugging information for a module
nxp
.nxp
AdaOS profiling information for one execution file
nxs
.nxs
AdaOS support module
o00
.o00
Always Technology SCSI Controller Driver
ocx
.ocx
ActiveX Control
oem
.oem
OEM install data
os2
.os2
OS/2 system data
osax
.osax
AppleScript scripting addition data
osc
.osc
Remote Installation Services client installation wizard
osinstallmessages
.osinstallmessages
macOS system data
osp
.osp
Crystal Semiconductor driver data
oth
.oth
Microsoft PowerToys Explorer tool data
ov1
.ov1
Overlay file
ov2
.ov2
Overlay file
ov3
.ov3
Overlay file
ov4
.ov4
Overlay data
ov5
.ov5
Overlay file
ovi
.ovi
PC-9801 FM system data
ovl
.ovl
Overlay file
ox2
.ox2
Orangutan X2 firmware update
p5x
.p5x
Microsoft Windows system data
pat
.pat
Synology DiskStation DSM update
payload
.payload
Microsoft Windows Mobile data
pbd
.pbd
PowerBuilder dynamic link library
pcf
.pcf
Microsoft Source Profiler profiler command
pci
.pci
PCI miniport data
pcm
.pcm
LaserJet Printer Cartridge Metric for printer driver
pd0
.pd0
SonTek firmware
pdl
.pdl
Symbian OS printer driver
pdr
.pdr
Windows Port device driver data
pf
.pf
Microsoft Windows prefetch data
pid
.pid
Creative Labs driver
pid
.pid
Unix process ID
plk
.plk
AMD ATI Radeon video driver
plt
.plt
EPOC software platform data
pmr
.pmr
Microsoft Windows Performance Monitor report
pol
.pol
Microsoft Windows policy data
pr2
.pr2
dBase IV printer driver
prd
.prd
Microsoft Word for DOS printer driver
prefpane
.prefpane
Mac OS X System Preference Pane app
prf
.prf
Microsoft Profiler output
profile
.profile
Bash shell profile
prs
.prs
Norton Viewer DLL library
prt
.prt
Microsoft Windows directory
psf
.psf
Windows Server Update Services patch storage file
pxe
.pxe
Linux, Unix network bootable image
qcc
.qcc
Niobrata QUCM firmware
qds
.qds
Microsoft Windows Server saved DsQuery data
qdz
.qdz
Stratix V device driver
qfilter
.qfilter
Mac ColorSync filter data
qky
.qky
Linux Quirky kernel data
qlgenerator
.qlgenerator
Apple Quick Look plug-in
qpr
.qpr
OS/2 print queue device driver
qts
.qts
QuickTime system data
qtz
.qtz
Mac Quartz graphics
que
.que
PDP-10 queue data
quicktimecomponents
.quicktimecomponents
Mac OS X system file
rat
.rat
Microsoft Windows rating system data
rbh
.rbh
RBH Access Technologies firmware
rco
.rco
Sony PlayStation Portable PSP resource file
rdl
.rdl
Symbian recogniser library
rdz
.rdz
Mandrake Linux install file
reg
.reg
Windows registry data
regtrans-ms
.regtrans-ms
Microsoft Windows registry changes temporary data
rel
.rel
Nintendo Wii relocatable module
restorelist
.restorelist
Microsoft Windows file system permission
rfw
.rfw
Rockchip firmware
rgu
.rgu
Microsoft Windows Mobile registry entry
ril
.ril
Google Android radio interface library
rio
.rio
IBM AIX system data
riscos
.riscos
Acorn RISC OS data
rm7
.rm7
Casio registration memory data
rom
.rom
Read Only Memory image
rpp
.rpp
Symbian OS pre-processed resource
rs
.rs
Windows Rating System rating data
rsq
.rsq
IBM 4690 Operating System​ data
rsrc
.rsrc
MAC OS resource data
rtb
.rtb
NAT proxy servers file
rtp
.rtp
Software update
rwm
.rwm
Windows Imaging Resource only image
rx
.rx
MS-DOS 7 data
savedsearch
.savedsearch
Spotlight saved search
saver
.saver
Mac OS X Screen Saver
sc
.sc
Framework II display driver
scap
.scap
Scap Mac OS X data
scc
.scc
Visual SourceSafe control data
scd
.scd
Systems Management Server (SMS) site control file deletion
scexe
.scexe
HP iL02 firmware update
scr
.scr
MS Windows screensaver
scr
.scr
MS-DOS DEBUG input
scsi
.scsi
Apple HDD setup data
sdb
.sdb
Windows Compatibility Solution Database
sdb
.sdb
Custom Application Compatibility Database
sdev
.sdev
Apple System 7 Control Strip module
sdr
.sdr
QuickView Pro for DOS soundcard driver
searchindexcache
.searchindexcache
Apple Mac OS X (macOS) index cache
seed
.seed
Linux preseed data
service
.service
macOS (OS X) service application data
sf
.sf
OS/2 work place shell attribute storage
sf0
.sf0
Microsoft Windows sytem file check data
sfc
.sfc
Microsoft Windows system file check data
sfcache
.sfcache
ReadyBoost cache
sfe
.sfe
Logomatic v2 system data
sfs
.sfs
Squashfs file archive
sgn
.sgn
Slax boot file
sha
.sha
Unix SHAR archive
shd
.shd
Microsoft Windows shadow spooler file
shlb
.shlb
MacOS system data
shs
.shs
Microsoft Windows 95/98 clipboard data
shsh
.shsh
iOS ECID SHSH data
sid
.sid
Systems Management Server software inventory
sif
.sif
Microsoft Windows NT setup installation data
sl
.sl
HP-UX shared library
so
.so
ELF shared library
sparc
.sparc
SunOS 4 data
spkg
.spkg
Microsoft Windows Phone driver package
spl
.spl
Microsoft Windows printing spool
spreporter
.spreporter
Mac OS X System Profiler Reporter file
srec
.srec
Motorola S-Records data
str
.str
Screensaver
strings
.strings
Apple Mac strings
sty
.sty
DirectMusic style data
sucatalog
.sucatalog
OS X (macOS) software update SUCatalog
supported
.supported
MAC OS X file
swp
.swp
Swap file
sys
.sys
System file
system
.system
macOS (OS X) system data
tbs
.tbs
TuneUp style boot screen
tci
.tci
MityDSP-L138 / MityDSP-6748 memory modules cache
tha
.tha
Microsoft Windows Shell Common DLL file
tlb
.tlb
OLE type library
tmc
.tmc
Windows trace message control data
tnr
.tnr
GPS Pathfinder ProXR/XRS firmware
trx_dll
.trx_dll
Microsoft Office dynamic link library
tsk
.tsk
Microsoft Windows system32 data
uaq
.uaq
Microsoft Windows action queue file
ubl
.ubl
DM35x user boot loader data
uce
.uce
Microsoft Windows XP system32 data
udf
.udf
Windows NT/XP uniqueness database
upd
.upd
HP universal print driver
uxz
.uxz
IBM Flex CMM update data
vap
.vap
NetWare 2 value added process file
vcn
.vcn
NCDrive Vacon NX system software data
vdx
.vdx
Windows 32-bit system driver
vet
.vet
VET antivirus system file
vfs
.vfs
Virtual file system index
vga
.vga
Bitmap image
vgd
.vgd
VGA CADD display driver
vid
.vid
MS-DOS video driver
vmlt
.vmlt
VMLF related data
vrs
.vrs
Corel WordPerfect video resource device driver
vtd
.vtd
Microsoft Windows custom virtual device driver
vxd
.vxd
Microsoft Windows virtual device driver
vxx
.vxx
IOsubsys drive data
w20
.w20
Windows 2000 system data
wcx
.wcx
Microsoft Windows workspace configuration
wdf
.wdf
Microsoft Windows Driver Foundation data
wdgt
.wdgt
Apple Mac OS X Dashboard widget
wdr
.wdr
Psion Series 3 printer driver
woa
.woa
Windows 3.x swap file
wpx
.wpx
Adobe printer description
wrs
.wrs
Corel WordPerfect windows printer driver
wss
.wss
Microsoft Windows Sound System
x86
.x86
Microsoft Office dynamic link library
xdsl
.xdsl
D-link router UK firmware update
xmo
.xmo
Adobe Authorware movie driver
xms
.xms
Microsoft eXtended Memory specification data
xnc
.xnc
Modbus Slave XNC driver application
xxt
.xxt
Dynamic Link Library
zex
.zex
ZOOM MRS-802 system data