downloads from safari end up as weird text data file if I change the file name

I know this is an old post but just curious if you finally resolved this issue. If not, and you did a workaround, then you should know that Safari always shows the file extension when prompting for download location, etc. If you rename and don't ensure the proper file extension is preserved (i.e. .ppx, .doc, .pdf, etc.) then your file will automatically be saved as a text file. You can easily fix the files by changing/adding the file extension in finder. Alternatively, ensure the file extension is correct when downloading. I had this issue many years ago and realized what I was doing. This is one of the most annoying things about Safari as other browsers do not show the file extension in their Save dialogs so you don't have to worry about accidentally changing or eliminating it.

FYI - I ran across this post while looking to see if anyone had found a way to change the Safari dialog so it doesn't leave the file extension in the file name in the Save dialog. I'm just tired of having to backspace four times after going to the end of a file name to change the file name of something I'm downloading.

Hey there abelbanko,

We understand you're experiencing a strange issue where your PowerPoint file is converted to a text file when you rename it. We'd be happy to provide troubleshooting steps to address this.

Check to see if this issue continues while in safe mode: Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support

It's also possible that the institution you're downloading the files from does not allow for renaming of files.

Kind regards.

Hello abelbanko,

You need to ask the creator of the files. The fact they are read-only means you can't change them, so changing the name likely causes them to no longer work.

If it's only these files from the school or whatever that do this, contact whomever made it, and verify if it's even allowed.

If it's every single file you download from every single location, some from Apple.com, other from other pages and apps etc., then please contact Apple Support to investigate this further.

Get Support

Thanks.

Nope, never did find the answer to my question. I've ended up using other browsers when downloading files, etc. to make it easier on myself.

Deej, did you ever find that solution? I found this thread looking for the exact same thing