How to open any file when you don't have a compatible app

Rick Rouse Tech Tips

Note:  This is a great tip for those of us that get files we can't open.   Rick's Newsletter is a great source of Tech Tips.

Have you ever tried to open an important file only to discover that you didn't have a compatible app on your computer to open it with? I'm guessing the answer is yes.

There are hundreds of file types out there, and in times past if you didn't have an app on your computer that was capable of opening the one you needed to access you probably went scrambling to find a compatible app.

Well, thanks to the Internet we no longer have to do that. We can simply use a handy online tool called CloudConvert.

All you have to do is upload the file you want to convert to another format to CloudConvert's server. It'll then work its magic and convert your file into the format of your choosing.

While CloudConvert doesn't support every file type in existence, it does support over 200 of them, including all of the most-used ones.

If you're concerned about the privacy and security of the files you upload to their server, you can rest easy.

According to their Privacy Policy, CloudConvert doesn't collect or store any of the data contained in your files.

What's more, they'll only collect the bare minimum of personal info they'll need to collect if you choose to register with the site or sign up for a service subscription (neither of which is required in order to use their file conversion tool).

I've been using CloudConvert for years, and as you know I'm all about protecting my privacy. I've never found any hint of them doing anything that goes against what they claim in their Privacy Policy (and I check on a regular basis).

Bottom line: If you ever have a one-off need to convert a file to another format so you can read it or edit it, don't pay for a copy of the app that created it. Use CloudConvert instead.
Note: I don't have any type of financial connection to CloudConvert. I'm simply a happy long-term user of this fantastic tool. Nothing more.