macOS file extensions

macOS works with the following file extensions:

Note: You can click on any file extension link from the list below, to view its detailed information. The list of extensions used or otherwise associated with the application may not be complete, because many common file extensions on our website, such as jpg (pictures) or txt (text files), can be opened by a large number of applications, or are too general file format. However most, if not all directly associated file extensions should be listed with its appropriate program. Although its likely, that some file extensions may be missing from the list of associated file extensions with the application, yet they can be opened, be part of, or otherwise be associated with the program.

macOS default file extension associations

The most common file formats used with the specific file extensions

.app file extension is used for Mac application package or core system service

.cnf file extension is used for Network configuration data

.dmg file extension is used for Apple Mac disk image

.ds_store file extension is used for macOS folder information

.dump file extension is used for Dump data

.icns file extension is used for Apple icon graphic format

.kext file extension is used for Apple Mac kernel extension

.pkg file extension is used for Apple macOS (OS X) installer package

.plist file extension is used for Apple property XML list

.thm file extension is used for Thumbnail bitmap image

Other file extensions or file formats developed for use with macOS

.*.3pm.8.abbu.abcdg.action.ad.afploc.apdisk.aplt.appdownload.appledouble.as.backupdb.baseconfig.bashrc.bash_history.bom.bootefisignature.bridgesupport.btree.bundle.ca.caction.cannedsearch.certsigningrequest.chm.clr.cmx.collection.command.common.component.components.contents.crash.csstore.ctfsys.dart.dbfseventsd.definition.dfont.dist.dmgpart.donotpresent.dvdr.efi.efires.emlxpart.exec.failurerequests.fdrp.ffil.file.file.fileloc.fns.fpbf.framework.fs.fseventsd.fseventsd-uuid.ftploc.hang.help.icte.indexarrays.indexCompactDirectory.indexdirectory.indexpositions.indexpositiontable.inetloc.inprogress.inputplugin.inss.installhelper.internetconnect.itc.itc2.journal_info_block.keychain.keytab.localized.lock_sync.lproj.lrn.menu.metadata_never_index.mkext.mobilebackups.monitorpanel.mrf.newsloc.noindex.not_terminated.osax.osinstallmessages.osx.panic.pcs.pictclipping.pkinstallsandboxmanager.pref.prefpane.profile.qfilter.qlgenerator.qtz.rsrc.savedsearch.sb.scap.scbo.scptd.searchindexcache.seplugin.service.setup.shadowindexcompactdirectory.shadowIndexGroups.shadowIndexTermIds.shlb.shutdownstall.signed.slidesaver.smi.spotlight-v100.strings.suit.supported.swidtag.sync.system.talf.TemporaryItems.term.terminal.textclipping.tool.trashes.udif.vncloc.vol.voprefs.wcap.webloc.wflow.work.workflow.xip.xpku._501

Common file extensions used by macOS

.aae.app.cnf.dmg.ds_store.dump.icns.kext.pfx.pkg.pkg.plist.swp.thm.ttf.vcf

Other file extensions associated with macOS

.1.3.8.abcdp.applescript.bash_login.bash_logout.bash_profile.bsh.clipping.data.dimg.dock.font.mbox.mpkg.ndif.netboot.offsets.p10.p7c.p7r.pgn.purgeable.script editor.sh.sparsebundle.spx.stub.symlink.zsh