File Extensions used in Multimedia Projects

To discover the type of a multimedia element you have, you can start by looking at the file extension of the file. Have you ever seen a file and didn't know what program to use to open it? Browse thru the list below and hopefully you will find the answer to that question.


VIDEO:

EXT. PROGRAM TYPE
.asf Advanced Streaming Format audio, video, slide shows, radio
.avi Microsoft video
.asx Advanced Stream Redirector meta files about video
.mpeg Moving Pictures Expert Group video
.mov Apple Quicktime video
.swf Flash video, moving graphics
.wmv Windows Media Video video
.ram / .rm Real Video by Real Media on-line video, internet tv

SOUND

EXT. PROGRAM TYPE
.aiff . /aif Apple sound
.midi / .mid Browser tunes (musical notes)
.mp3 music recording sound/music
.ram / .rm Real Audio streaming music / radio
.snd Apple sound
.wav Windows sound
.wma Windows Media Audio audio (on-line radio)

GRAPHICS

EXT. PROGRAM TYPE
.ai Adobe Illustrator vector art
.jpg Browser picture / photo
.psd Photoshop graphics
.dwg Autodesk CAD
.dxf e-Drawings.fla CAD
.fla Flash authoring file
.gif Browser graphic / animated graphic