Category: Chrome

There are a lot of file extensions out there.

A lot.

EXE. PNG. PDF. DOCX. Just to name some of the most common.

If you aren’t sure what those acronyms mean, it can be pretty daunting to figure it out.

Luckily, most files tend to be one of just a handful of extensions. We’re going to break down a few of the most common extension you’ll run across.

What Is a File Extension?

A file extension is a small acronym at the end of a file’s name, that tells both the user and the device what kind of file it is.

A device can’t read a file without an extension, so you’ll find one of these on anything you do on a computer, phone, or any other device.

There are a lot of different file extensions out there, for pretty much anything you can imagine. We’re going to look at the most common types of files, and break down the most common extensions in each one.

Image/Video File Extensions

These are some of the most common file types around, and for good reason. Images and videos make up a huge chunk of our digital experience, particularly online. 

There are a lot of different types of these files, but there are a few common ones that will pop up regularly.

The two most common image files are PNG and JPG. These two extensions mean that the file you are looking at is a picture of some kind. Generally, PNG will be the more common of the two, but both are regularly found across the internet.

For video files, the most common types you will generally run into are MP4, WMV, and AVI. Of these, the MP4 and WMV are probably the most common.

The MP4 format is the default format used by Apple devices to store video data. The WMV format, on the other hand, is the most common video format for Windows devices.

In fact, WMV stands for Windows Media Video.

Finally, AVI is another very common video format. Like the WMV format, it was created by Microsoft and comes standard on Windows devices, which makes it a commonly encountered type of video file.

The final format we’re going to talk about here is the GIF. GIF files can be viewed as a sort of mixture of the two.

While GIFs can be used to store still images, their most common use on the internet is for short, animated images. Most of the time, if you run across a GIF, it’s going to be an animation.

In fact, video files can even be converted to GIFs directly.

Audio File Extensions

Audio files are used to store bits of sound, music, and other audio.

There are as many formats for audio storage as there are for images. Thankfully, when it comes to audio, there are a couple that stand out above the rest.

The first of these is the MP3. Not to be confused with the aforementioned MP4, an MP3 file only stores audio, not video.

This is probably the most common audio file extension on the internet because it can be used on both Windows and Apple devices immediately. This makes it extremely widespread today, because it ensures the widest audience possible.

Still, there are other audio files in use. The other most common audio extension is the WAV file.

This file, which gets its name from the waveform data that it uses, is widely seen as well. It can be read by Windows Media Player and iTunes, which makes it another very common choice.

Text File Extensions

Text file extensions are generally the easiest to understand. These tend to be the kinds of files that people deal with the most often.

Still, there are several different extensions out there.

The simplest is the TXT file. Short for text, it is the simplest and most basic type of text file available. It is the default format that is saved by Microsoft Notepad, for example.

Because it is so simple, it can be read by most text editing software.

Next, we have DOC and DOCX files. Both of these come from Microsoft Word, but despite their similar names, there is a difference between the two.

If you see a DOCX file, that means it was written with a version of Microsoft Word from 2007 or later.

Before 2007, Word documents were saved as DOC files. But after Microsoft Word 2007, the extension was changed to DOCX, because of changes in the way they store data.

Finally, we have the RTF extension. Short for Rich Text Format, it is a common extension because it is compatible across many different platforms and operating systems.

Executable File Extensions

Executable files are what you click on when you open a program. They are the files that tell the computer what to run.

Generally, these are going to be the proprietary format for whatever operating system the program was designed to run on.

For Windows, that means EXE, short for executable. For macOS, that means APP, short for application.

However, there are a few other executable types, such as COM, which is used for DOS command files, or APK, an Android program file.

However, these extensions are relatively rare to see for most people. Generally, your executable extensions will either be EXE or APP files, depending on your operating system.

File Extensions Made Easy

This was a rundown of just some of the most common file extensions you’re likely to encounter. Going over every single extension that’s out there would take days, if it’s even possible.

This list should prepare you to better navigate and understand the most common kinds of files.

Of course, sometimes you need to convert a file from one kind to another, like converting a video to a GIF, for example.

Using our free file converter makes this process easy. And now that we’ve gone over what the extensions represent, the process is even easier.

So if you have a file you need to convert, use this knowledge and our converter to make your files work the way you need them to.

Did you know that Google Chrome is the leading browser used by people? After all, according to W3Schools, 79.7% of their visitors access the website using the Chrome browser. Their total monthly visitors are about 50 million.

That said, even Google Chrome has a few kinks to work on. One issue is when the browser suddenly blocks you from downloading something. Chrome might identify a safe video or file as some sort of spam or virus, preventing you from getting what you need.

Not sure how to stop Chrome from blocking downloads? There are a lot of ways to do this, whether it’s using Chrome or third-party solutions. But in this post, we’re tackling the former since it’s the easiest.

Are you ready to learn how to unblock Chrome download capabilities?

Read on and find out more.

How to Unblock Potentially Unsafe Downloads

Sometimes the issue is with the file. PDF files are safer and better than Word files, for example, due to their built-in security measures.

Also, Google Chrome gives you a measure of protection when it comes to phishing sites as well as malicious app or file downloads. The browser does this through an integrated feature named Safe Browsing. If you want to download a file that Chrome would otherwise consider unsafe, you need to turn this feature off.

It’s always important to remember that your device will become more vulnerable to online threats without the Safe Browsing feature. What this means is that you should only turn this feature off while you need to download anything restricted.

Here are the steps needed to finish this task:

Step 1

Open the Chrome Menu. This is the three-dot icon on your screen’s upper-right corner. Click on Settings once the menu appears.

Step 2

Once you’re on the Settings page, you can now click on the Advanced option. There is a section called “Privacy & Security”, which allows you to toggle a lot of different options. You’ll see Safe Browsing as one of the choices.

You can now turn this option off to unblock your downloads regardless of their source.

Reminders

Turning off the Safe Search feature means the browser will not give you any security warnings. That means you won’t know whether you’re visiting a secure or a malicious site. With that, you’re more likely to get phished or infected with malware.

It’s important that you take the proper precautions when surfing the World Wide Web without this Chrome feature. You can also use a security extension to ensure your safety against possible online threats.

If you decide to block any unsecured downloads later on, go back to the Settings panel. Turn on the Safe Browsing switch to enable the feature. It’s easy, meaning you have no incentive to let it stay disabled.

How to Stop Chrome from Blocking Downloads

There are websites that will do multiple consecutive downloads like file conversion sites. In most cases, you will run into problems because of built-in restrictions on content. It’s there since it helps stop malware that downloads automatically along with other files.

It’s possible to skip this restriction without a lot of effort. But it’s important to remember that Google Chrome will still give a prompt asking your permission when you start downloading. This only stops if you choose to make an active choice to whitelist websites.

Here are the steps:

Step 1

Open the Chrome Settings panel and click Advanced. You can now click on the Content Settings option. You can see it under the Privacy and Security section of the current screen.

Step 2

Look for the Automatic Downloads option under the Content Settings option. You might need to scroll down a little. You can now turn on the switch next to the option that says “Do not allow any site to download multiple files automatically.”

The option will turn into “Ask when a site tries to download files automatically after the first file (recommended)”.

Step 3

After choosing that option, Chrome will now let websites make automatic downloads. Remember, the browser will still ask for your permission whenever the site you visit starts initiating a download. If this is a hassle to you, find the Add button next to Allow and add the link of the website you want to put into your whitelist.

Reminder

If you turn on automatic downloads, make sure to stay careful as if you turned off the Safe Browsing feature. The general rule is to only allow automatic downloads from the websites you trust. Otherwise, you will risk yourself getting exposed to malware infections.

How to Stay Safe After You Unblock Downloads

If you don’t have unsafe download restrictions, you’re more susceptible to malware. After all, more than 88 records get either lost or stolen each second due to cybersecurity attacks. The majority of these attacks are towards the healthcare industry, but it isn’t a cause for you to relax.

How can you protect yourself from malware intrusions? The best way is to use security extensions or malware removal utilities. Here are some of the ones you should use:

1. Avast Online Security

This security extension has 4.4 stars on the Chrome Web Store. Once you add this feature to Chrome, you can make immediate checks whether the website is safe. You can do this by clicking the Avast icon located beside the browser’s URL bar.

2. McAfee SECURE Safe Browsing

This extension is great when trying to determine the website’s safety. You can click on its icon to see the security metrics like phishing intent and popularity. If you see that your website has a green banner, it’s safe to visit and download files from.

Discover More Guides Today!

These are the ways for you to stop Chrome from blocking downloads. If you’re not sure where to start, you can use these methods to ensure that you accomplish the task without spending a lot of time. But it’s always important to remember that you should get another means of securing yourself from online threats.

Do you want to know the best time to use the PDF extension for your digital documents? If so, read our guide here and learn the nine ideal situations to make the most out of this file type.