Windows Explorer File Extension Column

Update: Newer versions of Windows support additional file details that you can add to Windows Explorer / File Explorer. Simply right-click on the listing header, e.g. next to name at the top and select more from the context menu.

A huge list of file details opens that you can add to the listings in File Explorer. Locate the file extensions detail there and check it to enable it for all explorer windows. You may add other details in the same way if you want. A software program like the one listed below in the original article is no longer required. End

Windows Explorer does not provide a way to sort files by their file extension. The only option that Windows users have to get a similar option would be to filter by the type you are looking for.

That's however not the same as sorting by file extensions considering that type refers to multiple file extensions, for instance wav and mp3 for audio files so that you see all of those listed in Windows Explorer when you sort by type.

The tool Cpext adds a file extension column to Windows Explorer which adds the option to sort all files of the active folder by file extension when it is displayed in detailed view.

The Windows Explorer extension is available for Windows 2000, Windows 2003, Windows XP including the 64-bit editions of Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP.

A right-click on the file CPExt.inf and the selection of install will start the installation of the Windows Explorer extension. A logoff / logon or reboot is required before the additional column becomes available in Windows Explorer.

The column has to be activated by right-clicking on a existing column in detail view mode and selecting more from the menu that opens. Check the Ext entry in the following menu to add the file extension column to Windows Explorer.

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