convert common file types

How to Convert Common File Types: Your Complete Guide

Did you know that there are over 1.2 billion Microsoft Office users in the world? MS Office has quickly become one of the most popular business tools globally. 

However, MS office is not the only office suite used today. Open Office, Google Documents Suite, and other options are available. Many types of documents are shared between offices. In fact, there have never been so many types of docs, images, archives, and other files shared between offices. 

If you work in an office, you will know that changing the purpose of files can be challenging. While many will be able to open a simple MS Word document, learning to convert common file types can be challenging. 

You may want to convert a colorful PDF to a PNG file for use in a presentation. Another person may want to convert a PDF to EPub to increase its readability. 

How can you become a master of file type conversion? Why not read our article below to find out. 

Use a Professional, but Free, File Conversion Tool

Whatever type of file you are looking to convert, the easiest option is a free online file conversion tool. Why should this be your first option?

Put simply, this is the easiest and fastest method of converting file types. Whether you are looking to convert one file or one hundred, these tools make your work much easier. 

As these are custom-designed tools, they use the latest conversion techniques and algorithms to ensure that the conversion is accurate and even formatting in the files is preserved. 

Many people are not aware of the flexibility of file conversion tools. You can use them to convert a large number of file types. 

Operating System Specific File Types

Some files were created using a different operating system or using software that is unique to that operating system. An example of this is the Apple Pages word processing software. 

A colleague may send you a file that opens and works perfectly well on his Apple computer. However, MS Word does not recognize this file type easily. You can simply use an online Pages to DOCX conversion tool to adjust it. After this, you will be able to open and work with the file as if it were a normal MS word file.

Archive Conversion

File conversion is not limited to document files. Did you know that you can also convert entire archive folders? Let’s imagine that you receive an urgent request from another department that requires you to use a .ZIP file. However, you know that 7-zip would provide better functionality for the job. 

You can simply open up your free online conversion tool and convert the archive from ZIP to 7-Zip. You can then use all the software functionality of Z-Zip with your archive. This can save you valuable time. 

E-Reader File Types

Sometimes you may want to convert a file in order to be able to increase its readability. For example, imagine that you receive a large instruction manual that you have to read and absorb. You want to import it into your Kindle.

You can again use your online conversion tool to change the file type from PDF to MOBI (Kindle) format. You will then be able to benefit from the added functionality of the kindle software when reading the manual. 

These are some examples of how an online conversion tool can help you. There are however other methods of converting files…

Change the File Extension

Another method of converting files is to simply change the file extension. Granted this may not work for all file types and if done incorrectly it could cause problems. However, it is still a viable solution in some circumstances.

To do this you will need to allow Windows to show file extensions. You can do this through the folder options menu. After this you will see that the file name ends with a “.” and a file type. For example “picture.jpg”.

Right-click the file and select rename. After this select the “jpg” and rename it to the file type you desire ie. “.png”. Hit return. You will receive a warning from Windows that changing the file type could cause the file to become unstable. Accept this. 

When you try to open the file, you will see if the conversion has been successful. If no program will open the file successfully then likely you will need to do more than change the filename. Time to go back to the online conversion tool. 

Could Existing Installed Software Help You?

Sometimes you can use the existing installed software to help you convert files to a limited number of file types. 

For example, if you are working on a document in Google docs, however, you know that another person will need to use the same document in .xls format, you can simply use the Save as function to export the file in that format. 

This also applies to files created on different operating systems. When working on a document in Apple Pages, you can use the Export function to create a version of the file in .docx for easy use by other users.

This functionality is often helpful when you are converting image types. An image file may be in .jpg file format. However, many image processing software packages will allow you to export the image in a number of software types.

This may create changes in quality according to the file type. However, it is still possible to make this conversion using software already installed on your computer.

Convert Common File Types and Much More

Working in an office environment has become more complex than ever before. Each day you may be bombarded with xls, jpg, png, Docx, and a multitude of other files to work with. Now thanks to online tools you can convert common file types into manageable formats.

If you are interested in improving efficiency and managing different file types in your workplace, then we are here to help. We leverage our experience in the business and technology worlds to bring you tools that save you time and increase productivity. 

Why not check out our range of conversion tools or take a look at our blog to see how we can help you today.