How To Change File Type on iPhone

Changing file type on a mobile phone can be very straightforward, especially for Android phones. Sometimes you only have to rename the file and change the file extension from its original format to the format you want. However, as you must have discovered, renaming the file won’t change the file type on an iPhone. Among other things, iOS doesn’t allow you to change file extensions.

This article addressed how you can view file types on iPhone. We also explained three methods to change your file type on your iPhone.

How to View File Type on iPhone

Before you change the file type on your iPhone, you must know the kind of file you’re trying to convert. Since your iPhone doesn’t display the extension along with the file, you won’t see the file type just by looking at the file’s name.

To view the file type, follow the steps below.

1. Open the “Files App” on your iPhone.
2. Locate the file on the App.
3. Long-press on the file.
4. Tap “info” on the menu that pops up.

The file format, size, and other details are displayed on the file info.  

Changing File Type on iPhone

The file type allows the operating system to determine which software to use to open the file. If your file is an MP4 file, the OS will automatically use the video players on your phone to open it. If it is a PDF file, then the OS will use a PDF reader to open it. 

Sometimes renaming your file and editing the extension is the easiest way to change the file type. However, iPhone doesn’t allow you to edit file extensions. Also, changing the extension only works for files similar in format (e.g. JPG to PNG). 

If the file types are very different (MP4 and PDF), renaming the extension will only render the file unreadable when you try to open it with another software that supports the new file type. To convert those types of files, you will need a file converter.

We will explore three ways to change your file type on your iPhone. 

Method #1: Using Computer Software

This method works if the file types are not too different. For instance, computer software can change document files from “DOC” or “DOCX” to “PDF”. However, this method won’t work for widely different file types.

To use this method, follow the steps below.

1. Send the file from your iPhone to your computer.
2. Open the file with the appropriate computer software (Word, Excel, Adobe Reader, etc.)
3. Click on the “File” tab at the top left corner of the page.
4. Click “Save as” or “Export” to save the file.
5. Click on the dropdown button in the area where it shows “save as type”.
6. Scroll down to choose any of the available options.
7. Click “Save” to save the file in the new format.

Method #2: Using a Third-Party File Converter App

You can download the “File Converter” app on App Store. The App allows you to convert almost all types of files. To use the “File Converter”, follow the steps below. 

1. Open “App Store” on your iPhone.
2. Download and install the “File Converter” app.
3. Open the app and select the “+” button to choose the file you want to change.
4. Select the file from your device.
5. From the list of formats available, choose the output format you want to convert the file.
6. Tap “Start Conversion” to begin the conversion.

Once the conversion is done, you can open the file in the new format with the appropriate software application.

Method #3: Using an Online File Converter

You can use several online file converters to convert your file if you don’t want to download the application. However, you might want to reconsider this option if the file you want to convert is highly confidential and you don’t want the information to get out.

Follow the steps below to change your file type using an online converter.

1. Open a web browser on your iPhone and search for an online file converter for the document you want to convert.
2. Open any trustworthy website you find from the search results.
3. Click on the “Add files” button to upload the file you want to convert.
4. Choose the output format for the file.
5. Tap “convert” to begin the conversion. 
6. Download the file after it has been converted.

Conclusion

Changing file type or extension might be easy on Android phones, but it seems like an uphill task to complete on an iPhone. Despite the hindrance, you can still change your file without any hiccup by following the steps provided in the article.