How to Change the File Extension on Files Downloaded With Firefox

Firefox can be used to select the extension of your choice when downloading a file.

Many computer security applications are designed to prevent files with potentially harmful file extensions from being downloaded. For this reason, some websites, such as those that distribute registry tweaks and patches, host their files with different extensions to make it possible to download the files without interference from security applications. If you download a file from this type of site, you must change the file extension. Although it is possible to change the extension after downloading by using Windows Explorer, it may be faster to do so using Firefox. Enter the file extension of your choice, and the file will be saved with that extension automatically.

Instructions

1. Right-click on a file download link, then click "Save Link As." This opens a new window with "Enter name of file to save to" in the title.

2. Click the "Save as type" drop-down menu, and select "All files."

3. Click in the "File name" box. If you have Windows set up to display file extensions, the current extension of the file will be displayed. Otherwise, it will not be. If the file extension is not displayed, add a period to the end of the file name, then type the desired extension. If the extension is displayed, use the backspace key to back over it, then type the extension you would like to use.

4. Click the "Save" button.

References

• Mozilla Support Website: Saving a Web Page