What is the ORIG file format?
.orig is a generic file extension typically used for backing up an unmodified copy of a file before it is patched, merged, or edited. Adding the .orig extension to a file emphasizes that this is the original copy that can be restored if needed.
Some tools generate .orig files automatically. The Unix patch utility creates a .orig backup of every file it modifies when run with the -b flag. Git also produces .orig files during merge conflicts, preserving the pre-merge state of a conflicted file for reference. Generated .orig files fill the same role as those created manually - a safety copy of the unaltered original.
The original file extension can be preserved by appending .orig as a suffix, creating what is called a compound extension - for example, config.php.orig or document.doc.orig. This way the information about the type of the original file is retained, making it easy to restore: simply remove the .orig suffix to get the original name back.
A .orig file has no format of its own: it is a byte-for-byte copy of whatever file it backs up, so its content, encoding, and structure are identical to the source. Other common backup-style extensions used for similar purposes include .BAK and .old.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWA .orig file is just a copy of another file, so it carries exactly the same risk as the original type (a .exe.orig is still an executable; a .js.orig is still a script). It adds no new danger by itself. Main practical caution: don't delete .orig files until you're sure the modified version is correct, and be aware they can contain old secrets/config that you may not want committed to a repo (add *.orig to .gitignore).
Format details
in a nutshell- Photo/RAW 'original' backups - Some photo and editing workflows append .orig to keep an untouched copy of an image.
- Pro Tools / app-specific originals - Occasional application-specific 'original' backup naming, content depending on that app.
Programs that open ORIG files
Windows2 apps
Notepad++ / VS Code (text originals)
Open-source Open the .orig directly to read text; or rename removing '.orig' to restore the real type.
The program that created the underlying file
Free Identify the type from the name before '.orig' and open with that app (after renaming if needed). 
macOS1 app
TextEdit / VS Code (text originals)
Open-source Open to read; or strip '.orig' to restore the real extension and let the matching app open it. 
Linux1 app
Any editor / the file's native app
Open-source Run file name.orig to detect the real type, then open/rename accordingly. Technical details
deep spec| Content | Byte-for-byte copy of the original file - inherits all content, encoding, and structure from the source |
| Encoding | Inherits the original file's encoding (text or binary) |
| Typical size | Identical to the file it backs up (no overhead added) |
| Magic bytes | Inherits the magic bytes of the source file (e.g., PK for ZIP, %PDF for PDF); the .orig label adds nothing |
| Created by | Unix patch -b, Git merge/rebase conflict resolution, diff tools, and manual user action |
| Naming convention | Either file.orig or compound extension file.ext.orig - the latter preserves the real file type in the name |
| Restoration | Rename back to the original by removing the .orig suffix; no conversion needed |
| Associated OS | Linux, macOS, Windows - cross-platform convention |
| Purpose | Preserves pre-patch or pre-merge state of a file for rollback or reference |
| Format | Not a format - a renaming convention; the file content and structure are identical to the source |
| Git usage | Git creates .orig files during merge conflicts to show the pre-merge version of conflicted files |
| Released | Long-standing Unix convention (patch -b / RCS era, 1980s); reinforced by Git |
| Latest version | N/A (naming convention, not a versioned format) |
| Open standard | Yes · royalty-free |
| Specification | www.gnu.org |
ORIG conversions
Community Q&A
asked by usersNo questions yet - be the first to ask about ORIG files.
