This tip was printed from the MalekTips Computer and Technology Help and Tips website at http://malektips.com.

File Extensions - TMP File Format

SUMMARY: TMP files are temporary files that can sometimes be safely removed.

TMP files are usually temporary files that applications such as word processors, games, disk utilities, etc. create and eventually remove. Most of the time these files just contain indecipherable gibberish only usable by the application that created them. However, sometimes the curious can find readable text inside certain temporary files if opened with Notepad or another text editor.

If you see TMP files on your hard drive, they are usually safe to remove if they are older than a few weeks and you have no software currently running on your system. You may wish to back up TMP files first, wait a few days, and then delete them.

Windows users: NOTE that unless you have configured your computer with the file extension viewing tweak, it is possible that a filename that looks like it ends with ".tmp", especially one attached to an e-mail message, actually has a hidden OTHER extension, meaning that if you double-click the file, it may actually run a computer virus! Since TMP files are supposed to be temporary, I would be VERY WARY of a TMP file sent via electronic mail!