File Formats

Identifying the first two bytes in a file using HxD.

No Extension? No Problem: How to Identify Almost Any File Type

Got a mystery file with no extension or an ambiguous one? You may be able to uncover what it is by checking its signature. I’ll show you how to peek inside with a free tool and match the clues to known formats.

Photo Album Page

If It’s All Digital, Won’t You Lose It Anyway?

Can digital photos and files really be lost forever? Yes, but it’s almost always easily avoidable. I’ll describe two simple habits that keep your precious files safe for decades, perhaps even centuries, to come.