System file extensions
Installer, executable, and system-level package formats used by operating systems and applications.
Total extensions in this category: 16
Extensions in System
Explore the most searched extensions in this category.
- .aab
Android App Bundle
.aab is the Android App Bundle publishing format used to upload Android apps to Google Play. End users typically don’t “open” it like an APK; developers use Android Studio/Gradle and bundletool to build and test installable APKs from it.
- .apk
APK Archive File
An .apk file is an Android Package file used to distribute and install Android apps. It is a ZIP/JAR-based archive that can be installed on Android or inspected on desktop with Android development tools.
- .cab
CAB Archive File
.CAB is Microsoft’s Cabinet archive format used to bundle and compress one or more files, commonly in Windows installers and system components. On Windows you can often extract it with built-in tools like EXPAND, while other platforms usually require third-party archive utilities or transferring to a Windows PC.
- .deb
DEB Archive File
.deb is a Debian binary package archive used to install software on Debian-based Linux distributions. It is best opened, inspected, or installed using Debian package tools such as dpkg/dpkg-deb.
- .dmg
DMG Archive File
.dmg is an Apple Disk Image file most commonly used on macOS to distribute apps and other software in a mountable “virtual disk” container.
- .iso
ISO Archive File
.ISO is an optical disc image file: a single file that represents the full contents and structure of a CD/DVD/BD. On Windows 10/11 you can usually mount it directly; tools like 7-Zip can also open it to extract files.
- .jar
JAR Archive File
.jar is a Java Archive (JAR): a ZIP-based package that commonly contains Java class files, resources, and an optional manifest.
- .msi
MSI Archive File
.MSI is a Windows Installer package used to install, modify, or remove software on Windows. It is typically opened (run) by Windows Installer via the built-in installer UI or the msiexec command.
- .pkg
PKG Archive File
.PKG most commonly refers to an Apple macOS installer package. On macOS you typically open it with the Installer app; on other platforms you generally can’t install it and should inspect it as an archive instead.
- .rpm
RPM Archive File
.rpm is a Linux software package file used by the RPM Package Manager on RPM-based distributions. It’s typically installed with system package tools (for example, DNF) rather than “opened” like a document.
- .xpi
XPI Archive File
.XPI files are used for installation packages, updates, and system-level deployment workflows. Open only with trusted system utilities or package managers. This guide covers opening methods, troubleshooting, and security best practices. Common MIME type: application/x-xpinstall.
- .so
SO system file
.so most commonly refers to a Linux/Unix “shared object” library used by programs at runtime. It is not a general-purpose document or media format and usually should not be “opened” like a file you read.
- .bat
Windows batch script (.BAT)
.BAT files are DOS/Windows batch scripts: plain-text files containing commands that run in Command Prompt through cmd.exe or older COMMAND.COM. Open them for editing with a text editor, but run them only if you fully trust the source.
- .bin
BIN system file
.BIN is a generic extension for binary (non-text) data. Most commonly for end users, it appears as part of a BIN/CUE optical disc image where a .cue text file describes one or more .bin data tracks.
- .com
MS-DOS COM program (legacy)
.COM is most commonly an MS-DOS/CP/M executable program file, not a “data file.” On modern systems it is treated as runnable code and should be handled cautiously, typically via DOS emulation rather than opened in a document app.
- .dll
Windows DLL (shared library)
.DLL files are Dynamic Link Libraries: compiled Portable Executable (PE) binaries used mainly on Microsoft Windows to provide shared code and resources to programs. They are not meant to be “opened” like documents; they are loaded by applications or the operating system.