What are Text Files? Definition and list of extensions
A text type file is one that stores plain text information, that is, it does not contain control characters, it only contains printable characters such as letters, numbers and symbols, usually from the ASCII character set. The ASCII standard allows text files to be freely exchanged and readable between platforms such as Unix, Macintosh, Microsoft Windows, DOS.
A text file can be created or edited using a text editor and can usually be imported into any plain word processor such as Notepad.
Text file extensions allow the operating system to identify plain text documents. The most used text file extensions are: .txt (Microsoft Windows) and .mime (MAC OS X, Linux).
Here is a list of text file extensions:
| Extension | Description |
| 1st | Readme File |
| abw | AbiWord Document |
| ac | AC3D geometry file |
| aim | AIMMS ASCII Model File |
| years | ANSI Text File |
| apt | Almost Plain Text File |
| asc | ASCII text file |
| ascii | ASCII Text File |
| there | Association Type Placeholder |
| awp | Ability Write Template |
| awt | AbiWord Template |
| aww | Ability Write Document |
| bad | Exchange Badmail File |
| bbs | Bulletin Board System Text |
| bdp | Exchange Diagnostic Message |
| bdr | Exchange Non-Delivery Report Body File |
| bean | Bean Rich Text Document |
| bib | BibTeX Bibliography Database |
| Become | Thomson Speedtouch Firmware File |
| bna | Atlas Boundary file |
| boc | EasyWord Big Document |
| btd | Business-in-a-Box Document |
| bzabw | Compressed AbiWord Document |
| charset | Character Set |
| chart | Feedback Chart File |
| chord | Song Chords File |
| clg | QIP list of ignored contacts file |
| cnm | NoteMap outline file |
| crwl | Windows Crawl File |
| cws | Claris Works Template |
| cyi | Clustify Input File |
| dca | DisplayWrite Document |
| dgs | Dagesh Pro Document |
| it says | Description in Zip File |
| on | Netica Text File |
| doc | Microsoft Word Document |
| doc# | Microsoft Word Document |
| docm | Word Open XML Macro-Enabled Document |
| docx | Microsoft Word Open XML Document |
| docxml | Microsoft Word XML Document |
| docz | ThinkFree Online Note Document |
| dotm | Word Open XML Macro-Enabled Document Template |
| dotx | Word Open XML Document Template |
| dpf | F-Secure default policy file |
| dsv | DeSmuME Save File |
| two | Device Independent Format File |
| dx | DEC WPS Plus File |
| eml | E-Mail Message |
| emlx | Email Message |
| emulecollection | eMule Data File |
| eng | English language localization file |
| err | Error Log File |
| esd | ExpertScan survey document file |
| etf | ENIGMA Transportable File |
| etx | Setext Structure Enhanced text file |
| euc | Extended Unix Code File |
| faq | Frequently Asked Questions Document |
| fbl | CADfix Command Level Log File |
| fcf | Final Draft Converter File |
| fdf | Acrobat Forms Data Format |
| fdr | Final Draft Document |
| fdt | Final Draft 5-7 Template |
| fdx | Final Draft Document |
| fdxt | Final Draft 8 Template |
| flr | Netscape Live3D file |
| born | OpenDocument Flat XML Document |
| frg | dBASE IV uncompiled report file |
| frt | FoxPro Report Memo |
| fwdn | fWriter Document |
| gdoc | Google Drive Document |
| gpd | Generic Printer Description File |
| gpn | GlidePlan Map Document |
| gsd | General Station Description File |
| gthr | Gather Log File |
| gv | Graphviz DOT File |
| hbk | Mathcad Handbook File |
| hht | Help and Support Center HHT File |
| hvc | ASCII file |
| hwp | Hanword Document |
| hz | Chinese (Hanzi) Text |
| he | CleanSweep Installation Log |
| ipspot | iPhoto Spot File |
| jarvis | Jarvis Subscriber File |
| he | Japanese Industry Standard Text |
| joe | JOE Document |
| jp1 | Japanese (Romaji) Text File |
| jrtf | JAmes OS Rich Text File |
| who | Kurzweil 3000 Document |
| klg | Log File |
| knt | KeyNote Note File |
| could | Yahoo! Widget XML File |
| kwd | KWord Document |
| latex | LaTeX Document |
| lbt | FoxPro Label Memo |
| linx | Bridge Base file |
| lis | SQR Output File |
| log | Log File |
| lp2 | iLEAP Word Processing Document |
| lst | Data List |
| ltr | Letter File |
| ltx | LaTeX Document |
| read | Norton LiveUpdate Log File |
| luf | Lipikar Uniform Format File |
| lwp | Lotus Word Pro Document |
| lxfml | LEGO Digital Designer XML File |
| luxury | LyX Document |
| man | Unix Manual |
| mbox | E-mail Mailbox File |
| mcw | Microsoft Word 5 for Mac document file |
| md5txt | Message Digest 5 Hash File |
| me | Readme Text File |
| breast | Mellel Word Processing File |
| breasted | Mellel Word Processing Document |
| mmo | RapidFile memo document file |
| mnt | FoxPro Menu Memo |
| msg | Outlook Mail Message |
| msw | Microsoft Word 5 Document file |
| mtx | Microsoft Visual Studio manual test text file |
| mwd | MarinerWrite Document |
| mwp | Lotus Word Pro SmartMaster File |
| ndoc | Naver Word |
| nfo | Warez Information File |
| njx | NJStar Document |
| note | Notability for iPad note file |
| notes | Memento Notes File |
| now | Readme File |
| nwctxt | NoteWorthy Composer Text File |
| ocr | FAXGrapper Fax Text File |
| odif | Open Document Interchange Format |
| odo | Online Operating System Write Document |
| odt | OpenDocument Text Document |
| and more | Ots File List |
| opd | Durango Interferometry Software document file |
| openbsd | OpenBSD Readme File |
| location | COREX orthographic transcriptions file |
| there | OpenDocument Document Template |
| p7s | Digitally Signed Email Message |
| pages | Pages Document |
| pages-tef | Pages iCloud Document |
| ceo | SSreader document file |
| pfs | PhotoFiltre Studio Saved Selection File |
| pjt | FoxPro Project Memo |
| plg | Microsoft Developer Studio build log file |
| pml | PADGen program information file |
| psw | Pocket Word Document |
| pvj | ProofVision Job Ticket |
| pwd | Pocket Word Document |
| pwdp | Password Pad Document |
| pwdpl | Password Pad Lite Document |
| prices | Pocket Word Document |
| qdl | QDL Program |
| qvd | Quaanta Interactive Media Desktop file |
| qvt | Quantum Streaming video stream url file |
| readme | Readme File |
| rep | BusinessObjects report file |
| res | Research Information Systems Citation File |
| rst | reStructuredText File |
| rtf | Rich Text Format File |
| rtfd | Rich Text Format Directory File |
| rtx | Rich Text Document |
| rzk | File Crypt Password File |
| n | Red Zion Notes File |
| s01 | Corel WordPerfect distribution file |
| s02 | Corel WordPerfect distribution file |
| safetext | SafeText File |
| sam | Ami Pro Document |
| alone | Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange file format |
| save | Nano Temporary Save File |
| wrote | Scrivener Document |
| scrivx | Scrivener XML Document |
| scw | Movie Magic Screenwriter Document |
| tbsp | StarOffice Mail Message |
| sdw | StarOffice Writer Text Document |
| sgm | SGML File |
| sig | Signature File |
| skcard | Starfish Sidekick Card File |
| lettuce | Scribus Document |
| slagz | Scribus Compressed Document |
| sms | Exported SMS Text Message |
| in | Sub Station Alpha Subtitle File |
| story | Storyist Document |
| strings | Text Strings File |
| stw | StarOffice Document Template |
| sty | LaTeX Style |
| sub | Subtitle File |
| sublime-project | Sublime Text Project File |
| sublime-workspace | Sublime Text Workspace File |
| sxg | Apache OpenOffice Master Document |
| sxw | StarOffice Writer Document |
| template | Apple Pages Template |
| tex | LaTeX Source Document |
| text | Plain Text File |
| textclipping | Mac OS X Text Clipping File |
| thp | TurboTax text string file |
| tm | TeXmacs Document |
| tmd | TextMaker Document |
| tmv | TextMaker Template |
| tpc | Topic Connection Placeholder |
| tsk | Microsoft Windows WinHelp related file |
| tvj | TrueView Job Ticket |
| txa | Clarion exported to text format file |
| txt | Plain Text File |
| u3i | U3 Application Information File |
| unauth | SiteMinder Unauthorized Message File |
| unx | Unix Text File |
| uof | Uniform Office Document |
| uot | Uniform Office Document |
| upd | Program Update Information |
| utf8 | Unicode UTF8-Encoded Text Document |
| utxt | Unicode Text File |
| vct | Visual Class Library Memo |
| pcs | Mobile Phone vNote File |
| vw | Volkswriter Text File |
| webdoc | Box.net Web Document |
| wp | WordPerfect Document |
| wp4 | WordPerfect 4 Document |
| wp5 | WordPerfect 5 Document |
| wp6 | WordPerfect 6 Document |
| wp7 | WordPerfect 7 Document |
| wpa | ACT! Word Processing Document |
| wpd | WordPerfect Document |
| wps | Microsoft Works Word Processor Document |
| wpt | WordPerfect Template |
| wpw | Corel WordPerfect document file |
| wri | Windows Write Document |
| wsd | WordStar Document |
| wtx | Text Document |
| xbdoc | Xiosis Scribe Document |
| xbplate | Xiosis Scribe Template |
| xdl | XML Schema File |
| xwp | XMLwriter Project |
| xy | XYWrite Document |
| xy3 | XYWrite III Document |
| xyp | XYWrite Plus Document |
| xyw | XYWrite for Windows Document |
| zabw | Compressed AbiWord Document File |
