A full name of a file consists of its name and extension. File extension is a very important part of the file name. Sometimes without the file extension you have no idea what the file is. It is not easy to show file extensions on iOS devices. There are several file manager apps to display filename extensions. In this article, I’ll show you how to view file extension using the native Files app which is shipped with iOS 11 and later. I will also share with you a third-party file manager for iOS which allows us to display and edit file extension on iPhone iPad. For example, you can use it to change .png to .jpg extension.
View file extension in Files app on iPhone
Firstly you can make use of the share feature to save the file to the Files app if not yet. Once a file being added to Files app, long press on the file until its file name disappears, then release your finger, you will then see a menu bar pops up with options such as Copy, Duplicate, Rename, Move, Delete, Share, Tag, Info. Use the left or right arrow to find more options. Choose Info from the menu, the file details will be displayed in a full screen like below.
From the file info screen, you can find the full file name with extension, file type, size, storage location, created date and time, modified date and time, tags, etc.
Method 1. Change file extension on iPhone with FileMaster
The stock Files app on iPhone can help us view file extension, it however does not allow us to edit file extensions. You need to download third-party file manager app for this. File Master is a great one. It is free and powerful.
Download this free file manager app onto your iPhone. Use the share feature to copy the file from its original app to the File Master app. Long press on the file in the file manager app to show the context menu and choose Rename, you can then change the file name and/or its file extension. See below figure.
Method 2. Edit file extension on iPhone with Documents
Documents by Readdle is a very popular file manager for iOS. It has made the file rename and file extension editing really easy. Go to open the folder where the file you like to view or edit is saved in Documents app on iPhone. Simply tap its file name to rename it and move the cursor to the file name extension to change it.
Method 3. Modify file extension on iPhone with Owlfiles
Owlfiles File Manager works for Mac, iPhone, iPad. It allows users to access files on local storage, server, NAS and cloud storages, transfer files from any location to another, stream movies and music to your mobile, desktop or other device and even more.
Similar to the FileMaster app above, the Owlfiles app also allows users to modify a file extension when rename it.
Update Sep 2022: this article was originally publish in 2018; added Documents app and Owlfiles app which can also display and change file extensions on iPhone.
I was trying to help my sister, who lives two states away, move her Stardew Valley save from her Galaxy Note 10 to her new iPad by walking her though it over the phone. Since she doesn’t have a PC other than an ancient netbook, I had her upload it from her Note 10 to Google Drive. However, when she downloaded the save folder from Google Drive onto her iPad, it had appended a .dat file extension on every file in the folder, none of which originally had any extension at all, and the game didn’t recognize the save files.
After trying to use the suggested app to rename it without success, I was finally able to do it by downloading the save folder to my own PC from Google Drive, then signing into her iCloud Drive on the web and uploading the folder there. When she copied it from her iCloud Drive to the Stardew Valley folder on her iPad, it didn’t add extensions this time, and upon relaunching the game it finally recognized the save files and she had all her progress back.