.TEXT File Extension
Plain Text File
| Developer | N/A |
| Popularity |
3.6 | 143 Votes |
What is a TEXT file?
More Information
TEXT files store text that can be viewed and edited in Microsoft Notepad, Apple TextEdit, and other text editors. Unlike .RTF, .DOCX, and .PAGES files, TEXT files cannot include advanced formatting, such as bolding, italicization, font styles, and text alignment.
Because TEXT files cannot include formatting, they typically contain only basic information, such as notes, step-by-step instructions, and program information logs. Software developers may also package TEXT files with games and tools they distribute to contain instructions or other information about the software.
Users who need to create more complicated text documents, such as resumes, reports, letters, or flyers, typically do not save those documents as TEXT files. Instead, they use Microsoft Word or Apple Pages to create and save documents as DOCX or PAGES files.
How to open a TEXT file
You can open a TEXT file in any text editor and most popular web browsers. Below, you'll find platform-specific instructions for opening TEXT files.
How do I open a TEXT file in Windows?
In Windows, you can open a TEXT file in Microsoft Notepad or Microsoft WordPad, both of which come included with Windows. To open a TEXT file in Notepad:
- From the Windows Start menu, select .
- After Notepad opens, select .
- Navigate to and open your TEXT file.
How do I open a TEXT file on a Mac?
In macOS, you can open a TEXT file in Apple TextEdit, which comes included with the operating system. To open a TEXT file in TextEdit:
- From the Finder or Launchpad, open TextEdit.
- In the file browser window that appears, navigate to and open your TEXT file.
How do I open a TEXT file in Chrome OS?
On Chromebooks, you can open a TEXT file in Google Chrome Text, which comes included with Chrome OS. To open a TEXT file in Google Chrome Text:
- Open the Chrome OS Launcher. Then, open Google Chrome Text.
- Select Google Chrome Text's button.
- Navigate to and open your TEXT file.
How do I open a TEXT file in my web browser?
The Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge web browsers all allow users to open TEXT files. Keep in mind, however, that you will not be able to edit your TEXT file in a web browser.
In Chrome and Firefox, you can simply drag and drop your file into a browser window to open it. In Microsoft Edge, you must copy and paste your file's location into Edge's address bar to open the file.
Programs that open TEXT files
Windows Binary Machine Code File
| Developer | Microsoft |
| Popularity |
4.0 | 4 Votes |
A .text file is a binary machine code file included in a Windows executable (.EXE) or dynamic link library (.DLL) file. Unlike plain text TEXT files, binary TEXT files contain processor-specific machine instructions that executable files reference when run.
More Information
Since binary TEXT files are packaged in EXE or DLL files, you are most likely to encounter them when you extract an EXE or DLL file's contents with an archive utility (e.g., 7-Zip). While not all EXE and DLL files contain TEXT files, most modern EXE files (saved in the Portable Executable format) and DLL files do.
For example, if you extract a portable executable EXE file's contents, you may encounter these files:
- .text - Stores binary machine code for running the portable executable.
- .reloc - Stores information for how the portable executable is loaded and run in memory (.RELOC).
- .rsrc - Stores information about resources used by the portable executable.
NOTE: Mac and Linux executables can also include TEXT files. These TEXT files also contain binary machine instructions, saved in platform-specific formats.
Common TEXT Filenames
.text - Binary TEXT files are unnamed; only the .text file extension is present.
How to open a TEXT file
Binary TEXT files are not meant to be opened. Instead, Windows executables (EXE files) reference binary TEXT files when run, or programs using DLL files reference them.