TMP

Technology & Computing abbreviation · File Format

TMP
Stands forTemporary file
CategoriesTechnology & Computing

TMP stands for Temporary file, a file format abbreviation.

File created by programs to hold data temporarily, such as unsaved work, download fragments or installer contents, normally deleted automatically when the program closes.

Example: Disk Cleanup removed 12 GB of TMP files left behind by old installers.

Usage notes

Windows stores most temporary files in the folder named by the %TEMP% variable, and Storage Sense or Disk Cleanup can clear it. After a crash, a .tmp file may contain unsaved work; Microsoft Word, for example, creates temporary and owner files beginning with "~$". Deleting temporary files while their programs are running can cause errors.

More file format abbreviations

  • STEP – Standard for the Exchange of Product model data
  • STL – Stereolithography
  • SVG – Scalable Vector Graphics
  • SWF – Small Web Format
  • TAR – Tape archive
  • TIFF – Tagged Image File Format
  • TS – MPEG transport stream
  • TSV – Tab-separated values
  • TTF – TrueType Font
  • TXT – Plain text file
  • VCF – Virtual Contact File (vCard)
  • VOB – Video Object

See all 125 file format abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.