What's the REA File?

Written by:   |   Refreshed: April 19, 2019

Microsoft Silver

REA File Summary

File Extension REA has only one distinct file type (Readme Text File format) and is mostly associated with a single related software program from Microsoft Corporation (Microsoft Notepad). The majority of REA files are considered Text Files.

File Extension REA is supported by Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. These types of files can be found on both desktop and mobile devices. The Popularity Rating for REA files is "Low", which means these files are not ordinarily found on an everyday user's device.

Interested to learn more about the REA File Extension? We encourage you to view the detailed file information below to learn about the software that opens REA files, and other troubleshooting tips.

Low
Prevalence
11470
Ranking

/ 11690

Active

Relevance

19

April

2019

Edited

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Known REA Files


Primary REA File Association

.REA
Extension:.rea
Type:Readme Text File

The REA file suffix was infrequently used for readme text files. Nonetheless, most of the readme files generally have the normal .TXT file extension used for plain text files.

Company: Microsoft Corporation
Function:Text Files
Subkey: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.rea

Software Programs That Open The Readme Text File:


Microsoft Notepad by Microsoft Corporation

Windows
Mac
Linux

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REA File Popularity


Device Breakdown

Desktop (84.34%)
Mobile (14.29%)
Tablet (1.37%)


Sources of REA Problems


Frequent REA Opening Issues

Missing Microsoft Notepad

When you double-click your REA file, you may see a dialog box from your operating system stating that it "Cannot Open This File Type". If this is the case, it's usually due to the fact that you do not have Microsoft Notepad for %%os%% installed on your computer. The OS won't know what to do with your REA file, so double-clicking to load the file doesn't work.


Tip: If you have another software that you know opens REA files, you can select it by hitting the "Show Apps" button.


Microsoft Notepad Requires Update

It is possible that your version of Microsoft Notepad isn't able to open your Readme Text File file due to incompatibility. Visit the Microsoft Corporation website to download (or purchase) the latest version of Microsoft Notepad. This problem is most common when you have an older version of the software application, and your file was created by a newer version that it cannot recognize.


Tip: Investigate your REA file by right-clicking and selecting "Properties" to find clues on what version you need.


Primarily, problems experienced when opening REA files are due to having the incorrect version of Microsoft Notepad installed on your computer.


Other REA File Issues

Errors opening Readme Text File files can still occur even with the latest Microsoft Notepad software installed on your computer. Other REA opening errors can be created by other system problems inside of %%os%%. Issues that aren't software-related:

  • Invalid REA file references in the Windows Registry (the "phonebook" of the Windows Operating System)
  • Corruption of the REA file description inside the Registry
  • Defective install of a REA program, such as Microsoft Notepad
  • File corruption affecting your REA file
  • REA file integrity has been compromised by malware
  • Device drivers for REA-related hardware are out-of-date
  • Windows cannot load your Readme Text File file due to insufficient resources (eg. RAM)

Quiz: Which file extension is the most widely used on the World Wide Web?








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