View source for Windows Executable File

{{Infobox file format
| name          = Windows Executable File
| icon          = Windows 11 executable.svg
| screenshot    = 
| extension     = <code>.exe</code>
| mime          = <code>application/vnd.microsoft.portable-executable</code>
| magic         = Depends on the file format
| owner         = [[Company:Microsoft|Microsoft]]
| type          = Executable file
| genre         = [[Executable]] (Binary [[Machine code|machine code]])
| container_for = [[DOS MZ executable|MZ]], [[New Executable|NE]], LX,  [[Linear Executable|LE]], [[Portable Executable|PE]], PE32+, W3, W4, DL, MP, P2, P3
| website       = 
| open          = No
| url           = 
}}
In [[Software:Windows|Windows]], OS/2, and [[Engineering:DOS|DOS]], '''.exe''' is the [[Filename extension|filename extension]] for a file that is runnable as a native [[Executable|executable]] [[Computer program|computer program]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://fileinfo.com/extension/exe|title=.EXE File Extension|website=FileInfo - The File Extensions Database|publisher=Sharpened Productions|access-date=16 August 2019}}</ref> Such a file is sometimes referred to an '''EXE''' {{endash}} as one historical way to identify a file extension is without the dot prefix and capitalized.

== File formats ==

Although the EXE [[File format|file format]] has a common lineage across related operating system (OS) versions, the format was enhanced over time. Some amount of backward compatibility was supported in later versions but earlier versions cannot run an EXE formatted for a newer version. Formats include:

;{{anchor|MZ}}DOS MZ executable: The [[DOS MZ executable]] format is used by [[Software:MS-DOS|MS-DOS]] compatible operating systems. This format is 16-bit.

;{{anchor|NE}}New Executable: The [[New Executable]] (NE) format was introduced with the multitasking [[Software:MS-DOS 4.0 (multitasking)|MS-DOS 4.0]] and also used by 16-bit OS/2 and Windows. This format is 16-bit.

;{{anchor|OS/2|LE|LX}}Linear Executable: The [[Linear Executable]] (LE) format is mixed 16/32-bit and was introduced with OS/2 2.0. [[Software:VxD|VxD]] drivers on [[Software:Windows 3.1x|Windows 3.x]] and [[Software:Windows 9x|Windows 9x]] also use this format. A 32-bit only version identified as LX was also introduced with OS/2 2.0 and runs on OS/2 2.0 and higher.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.operating-system.org/betriebssystem/_english/bs-os2.htm|title=OS/2 Operating System|date=3 April 2004|access-date=13 February 2014|work=operating system documentation project}}</ref>

;{{anchor|PE|PE32+}}Portable Executable: Introduced with [[Software:Windows NT|Windows NT]], the [[Portable Executable]] (PE) format is a [[Fat binary|fat binary]] consisting of both a DOS and a Windows part. The DOS stub is runnable on a DOS system but is ignored by Windows. The Microsoft C++ linker, by default, adds a small DOS program that prints the message: "This program cannot be run in DOS mode" and exits.<ref name="PE Format" /><ref name="/STUB" /><ref name="DOS Stub" /> Windows ignores the DOS stub and executes the 32-bit Windows-specific portion.<ref name="PE Format" /> With some linkers, it is possible to specify a custom DOS stub.<ref name="PE Format" /><ref name="/STUB" /><ref name="dosStub.exe" /> Indeed, there are a few dual programs, such as [[Software:Windows Registry|regedit]] in [[Software:Windows 95|Windows 95]]<ref name="regedit in real mode" /> and old versions of [[Software:WinZip|WinZIP]] self extractors. A 64-bit version, PE32+, was introduced with 64-bit versions of Windows. In most cases, code can be written to simply work as either a 32 or 64-bit PE file.<ref name="PE32plus" /> This format also includes a DOS stub.<ref name="dosStub.exe" />

; Other: {{anchor|W3|W4|DL|MP|P2|P3}}There are other EXE formats, including but not limited to ''W3'' (a collection of LE files, only used in WIN386.EXE), ''W4'' (a compressed collection of LE files, only used in VMM32.VXD), ''DL'', ''MP'', ''P2'', ''P3'' (last three used by Phar Lap extenders).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ctyme.com/intr/rb-2939.htm#table1593|title=Int 21/AH=4Bh|first=Ralf|last=Brown|website=Ralf Brown's Interrupt List|date=16 July 2000|access-date=30 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150519112524/http://www.ctyme.com/intr/rb-2939.htm#table1593|archive-date=19 May 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== See also ==
* {{Annotated link| Comparison of executable file formats}}
* {{Annotated link| Executable compression}}
* {{Annotated link| IExpress}}
* {{Section link| List of file formats| Object code, executable files, shared and dynamically linked libraries}}
* {{Annotated link| CMD file (CP/M)}}
* {{Annotated link| Dynamic-link library}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name="PE Format">{{Cite web |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/debug/pe-format |title=PE Format |website=Windows App Development |publisher=Microsoft |date=25 August 2019}}</ref>
<ref name="/STUB">{{cite web |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/build/reference/stub-ms-dos-stub-file-name |title=/STUB (MS-DOS Stub File Name) |work=C/C++ Building Reference |edition=Visual Studio 2022 |publisher=[[Company:Microsoft|Microsoft]] |access-date=10 January 2014}}</ref>
<ref name="DOS Stub">{{cite web |url=http://thestarman.pcministry.com/asm/debug/DOSstub.htm |title=DOS Stub Program |website=The Starman's Realm |publisher=Self-published |first=Daniel B. |last=Sedory |date=12 October 2004 |access-date=10 January 2014}}</ref>
<ref name="regedit in real mode">{{cite web |url=http://support.microsoft.com/kb/131352 |title=Using Registry Editor in Real Mode |work=Support |publisher=[[Company:Microsoft|Microsoft]]|access-date=10 January 2014 |date=15 November 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140115050101/http://support.microsoft.com/kb/131352|archive-date=15 January 2014 |quote=Windows 95 includes a Registry Editor program (Regedit.exe) that runs in both the real-mode MS-DOS environment and in the protected-mode Windows environment. When you need to modify the registry without starting Windows 95, use Registry Editor in real mode. Note that the switches listed in this article only work in real-mode.}}</ref>
<ref name="dosStub.exe">{{cite web|url=http://purl.net/xyzzy/dos/dostub.htm|title=dostub.exe|first=Frank |last=Ellermann|website=Purl.net|date=22 January 2014|access-date=24 January 2014}}</ref>
<ref name="PE32plus">{{Cite journal |url=https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/bb985992(printer).aspx|title=An In-Depth Look into the Win32 Portable Executable File Format |journal=MSDN Magazine |publisher=[[Company:Microsoft|Microsoft]] |date=February 2002 |first=Matt |last=Pietrek |}}</ref>

}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite newsgroup |title=Re: Run a COM file |author-first=Matthias R. |author-last=Paul |date=7 October 2002 |orig-year=2000 |newsgroup=alt.msdos.programmer |url=https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.msdos.programmer/d7blJjY0H5M/Qu3VeTOIGVcJ |access-date=3 September 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170903230312/https://groups.google.com/forum/%23!msg/alt.msdos.programmer/d7blJjY0H5M/Qu3VeTOIGVcJ |archive-date=3 September 2017}} [https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.lang.asm/PNOd9zfYow0/vXbab16j4XwJ Second reply]

== External links ==
* [http://dependencywalker.com/ Dependency Walker]
* [http://www.delorie.com/djgpp/doc/exe/ MZ EXE header format]
* [http://www.pe-explorer.com/ PE Explorer]

{{Executables}}

[[Category:DOS technology]]
[[Category:Executable file formats]]
[[Category:Filename extensions]]
[[Category:Windows administration]]

{{Sourceattribution|Windows Executable File}}