Navigating File Types: What You Need To Know
As a business owner, designer, or someone actively online, understanding the various file formats for images, videos, and programs is essential. While not all of these file types may be new or directly applicable to you, knowing about them can be incredibly valuable. In this blog post, I’ll provide a quick guide to the most common and uncommon file types you’ve likely seen online. Whether you are managing a business, creating visual content, or navigating the online world. Knowing the differences between these file formats can help you make informed decisions and optimize your workflow.
Firstly let’s start with different file types for images. Most people will recognize a few file types on the list below, but may not know the difference between a .png from a .jpg. This list will go in-depth about each file type, and what type of application (web, print) it’s best suited for.
| .png | Stands for Joint Photographic Expert Groups. The image compression in .jpg files often results in a loss of sharp edges between colours, resulting in a pixilated or blurry look. This image format is best used for web applications, emails, power points, and non-professional printing. |
| .jpg / .jpeg | Stands for Bitmap Image File. First created for Microsoft’s Windows, .bmp was the blueprint for .tiff. While both are great for high-quality images, .bmp doesn’t support transparency. |
| .raw | RAW images are the unedited or raw images that are created either from a digital SLR camera or scanner. These image files act as a digital fingerprint for your image, but often still need to be edited in a photo editor such as Lightroom or Adobe Photoshop. Best for saving image metadata and photography. |
| .gif | Stands for Graphics Interchange Format. This file is used for creating web animations. Has a colour limit of 256, but supports transparency and can be exported in small file sizes. |
| .tiff | Stands for Bitmap Image File. First created for Microsoft’s Windows, .bmp was the blueprint for .tiff. While both are great for high-quality images, .bmp doesn’t support transparency. |
| .bmp | Stands for Bitmap Image File. First created for Microsoft’s Windows, .bmp was the blueprint for .tiff. While both are great for high quality images, .bmp doesn’t support transparency. |
Video files come in a variety of formats, each with its unique characteristics and uses. Common video file formats include MP4, AVI, MOV, and WMV, among others. For example, MP4 is widely supported and known for its high-quality compression, making it ideal for sharing videos online. AVI offers excellent video quality but tends to have larger file sizes. Such as MOV, which is commonly used on Apple devices and is known for its compatibility with editing software. WMV is a Windows Media format that provides good compression without compromising quality. Understanding the differences between these file formats can help you choose the best option for your specific video needs.
| .mp4 | Short for MPEG-4. Considered the standard for TV and web videos due to its high quality. Great for uploading to sites like YouTube because of its moderate file sizes. |
| .mov | Originated from Apple to support apps like Quicktime Player and other video editing software. While .mov offers higher image quality, it also comes with higher file sizes and memory space when working on it. |
| .avi | A file that offers better audio quality, but also comes at the cost of higher file size and not being able to be compressed. Not ideal for web use since its large file size will affect loading times. |
| .wmv | Stands for Windows Media Video. Supports great video quality without a large file size, but doesn’t support playback on other devices such as Apple. While this file type has it’s uses, it’s often overlooked for .mp4. |
| .avchd | Stands for Windows Media Video. Supports great video quality without a large file size, but doesn’t support playback on other devices such as Apple. While this file type has its uses, it’s often overlooked for .mp4. |
| .webm | Stands for Windows Media Video. Supports great video quality without a large file size, but doesn’t support playback on other devices such as Apple. While this file type has its uses, it’s often overlooked for .mp4. |
| .flv | Flash Video used to be the dominant video file type, but support for it was discontinued in 2020. These videos can still be viewed using third-party players or on your desktop, but not on the web. |
Lastly, let’s cover some additional file types you might be familiar with. From Adobe and Microsoft programs like Word, Excel, and Photoshop, to universal formats such as PDFs for document preservation and sharing, and compressed files like ZIP for easy storage and transfer, each file type serves a specific purpose in enhancing productivity and collaboration. Additionally, executable files (EXE) play a crucial role in running software applications seamlessly. Understanding the characteristics and functionalities of these diverse file types is essential for effective file management and communication in the modern workplace.
| .ai | Adobe Illustrator file |
| .psd | Adobe Photoshop file |
| .id | Adobe Indesign file |
| .cdr | CoralDraw file |
Portable Document Format files that can be viewed in Adobe Acrobat or alternative PDF readers | |
| .doc | Microsoft or Google word document exports |
| .exl | Microsoft or Google Word document exports |
| .zip | A compressed file that allows you to send multiple high-size files, and download in a shorter time. Often used to send software applications. |
| .exe | A text-only version of a document |
| .xcf | GIMP file |
| .txt | Microsoft or Google Excel/sheets document exports |
