Extension Indexer

The diversity of file formats is generated as a result of different features packs used to create content. Even simple pictures or text documents can be found in various different formats, which are not all supported by every service or program you use. As such, if you want to make it easy to look for a specific type, then applications like Extension Indexer are what you need.

A neat advantage is that you don’t have to go through the effort of installing the application, because it can run from the moment download is done. Registries remain intact, which means running it on other computers from a USB flash drive doesn’t have an impact on the stability of the target PC, because registries are not modified. However, .NET Framework is required to make things work.

The application’s visual design gives you the possibility to quickly get the hang of things, regardless of your level of experience. First off, you need to add a directory to be analyzed for the application to sort out extensions accordingly, and this can either be done by dragging it over the main window, or relying on the built-in browse dialog.

Scanning the content of the target folder takes a little while, even if there are an abundance of different formats, which take up a lot of disk space. Extensions are all grouped together in a side panel, with the total amount shown next to type. Selecting one from the list expands content into the files pane, with options to view path, name, and size.

You can open a file directly by double-clicking it in the corresponding pane. You can sort the list according to displayed details, as well as the order of sorting, which can be ascending or descending. These can also be moved or deleted, but be careful, because deletion is physically done, and not just from the application list.

It can become a pain to sort out or even identify files according to their extension, even with all the tools Windows puts at your disposal. This is where Extension Indexer comes in handy, letting you instantly view all types, and sort them out according to different criteria. Although it could have used an option to save lists to file, the general set of features makes it worth a try overall.