.EXE File Extension

Executable File

The .exe file extension that denotes a computer file as "executable." Usually, this extension means that the file is a program.

These files are one of the most common types of file on the Windows operating system as they are generally the first file that is executed when loading an application.

The majority of short-cuts on the desktop and in the Windows start menu link to an .exe file.

The DOS operating system, although now rarely used, also used executable files.