TMO Quick Tip - Leopard: Disable File Extension Rename Dialog

by , 7:30 AM EST, January 4th, 2008

If you regularly change file type extensions in Leopard's Finder and you know what you are doing, the warning dialog that asks if you really do want to make the change can get old. Mac OS X 10.5 includes a way to disable that warning, and it's easy to do.

Mac OS X asks for confirmation when changing file extensions.

Here's how:

• Click on your Desktop to make sure the Finder is the front most application.
• Choose Finder > Preferences.
• Select the Advanced tab.
• Uncheck Show warning before changing an extension.

Disable extension change warnings in the Finder preferences.

Now whenever you get a document that includes a wrong file name extension, or no extension at all, you can change or add the extension name without seeing a warning dialog asking for confirmation.

Keep in mind that if you add the wrong extension to a document you may not be able to open the file until you change it back. Changing an extension does not convert a document into a different format.

Jeff Gamet is TMO's Morning Editor and Reviews Editor. He lectures, teaches and speaks on Mac OS X and design-related topics, and is the author of The Designer's Guide to Mac OS X from Peachpit Press.

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