If throughout your life you have used both Windows and macOS (the operating system developed by Apple for both desktop and laptop computers), it is quite likely that you have already noticed something: each operating system uses specific executable files, for which, in most cases, an executable file developed for Windows will not be compatible with macOS, unless we use an application that is useful to make it so.
We can remember, for example, that Parallels is considered one of the best emulator options of the moment to proceed to install and use, in a totally and absolutely personal way, Windows within the macOS environment, without the need to make a separate hard disk partition .
What is an EXE file and what does it consist of?
Returning to the topic at hand, a file with the EXE file extension is an executable file popularly known for its use in Windows , but it is also available in other operating systems such as MS-DOS, ReactOS and OpenVMS, for the purpose of open programs.
Software installers generally tend to be referred to as ‘setup.exe’ or ‘install.exe’, although it is true that the files for a certain application will have unique names, usually in relation to the name of the software program they came with. Thus, for example, if we have downloaded the Windows version of Google Chrome to install on the computer, the installer will be called ‘googlechrome.exe’, and once installed, the program will open with the file ‘chrome.exe’, located in the program’s installation directory.
How to open an EXE file in Windows?
One of the main advantages is that these types of files do not need a program to open , mainly because Windows knows how to handle them. Sometimes EXE files can become unusable due to a computer virus infection or registry error. And, when this happens, Windows “thinks” more useful to use a different program, as for example it could be the case of Notepad; something that obviously will not work.
When this happens, the simplest and easiest solution to this problem is to restore the correct association of the registry with the EXE files .
When opening them, we must bear in mind that some EXE files are characterized by being self-extracting files, so when they are started, the system automatically extracts their content to a specific location, or to the same folder from which that file is opened.
In any case, executing an EXE file is as simple as double-clicking on it . Or, right-click on the file in question to open the drop-down menu, and select the Open option.
On the other hand, in case it is a self-extracting EXE file, it is possible to open it without dumping its files with the help of a file unzipper .
