EXE file format description
Many people share .exe files without attaching instructions on how to use it. Yet it isn’t evident for everyone which program a .exe file can be edited, converted or printed with. On this page, we try to provide assistance for handling .exe files.
1 filename extension(s) found in our database.
.exe - Executable File
The EXE application files are related to Microsoft Windows. The EXE file is an Executable File. EXE is the common filename extension for denoting an executable file (a program) in the MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows, and OS/2 operating systems.
- Application:
- Microsoft Windows
- Category:
- Application files
- Mime-type:
- application/x-ms-dos-executable
- Magic:
- - / -
- Aliases:
- com
- Executable File related extensions:
Naturally, other applications may also use the .exe file extension. Even harmful programs can create .exe files. Be especially cautious with .exe files coming from an unknown source!
Can't open a .exe file?
When you double-click a file to open it, Windows examines the filename extension. If Windows recognizes the filename extension, it opens the file in the program that is associated with that filename extension. When Windows does not recognize a filename extension, you receive the following message:
Windows can't open this file:
example.exe
To open this file, Windows needs to know what program you want to use to open it. Windows can go online to look it up automatically, or you can manually select one from a list of programs that are installed on your computer.
To avoid this error, you need to set the file association correctly.
- Open Control Panel > Control Panel Home > Default Programs > Set Associations.
- Select a file type in the list and click Change Program.
The .exe file extension is often given incorrectly!
According to the searches on our site, these misspellings were the most common in the past year:
3xe, dxe, ece, ede, ee, eex, ese, ex, ex3, exd, exf, exr, exs, exw, eze
Is it possible that the filename extension is misspelled?
Similar file extensions in our database:
- .exd
- Microsoft Office Control Information Cache
- .eex
- Oracle BI Discoverer EUL Export
- .exd
- JSDAI Express Dictionary Data
- .sxe
- ProfiCAD Schematics Diagram
- .exf
- EXIF Metadata
- .dxe
- Autodesk AutoCAD Data Extraction Template
Operating systems
DataTypes.net currently supports the following operating systems:
Windows XP/Vista, Windows 7/8/10, Windows 11, CentOS, Debian GNU/Linux, Ubuntu Linux, FreeBSD, macOS, Mac OS X, iOS, Android
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