What is an ORIG file?

Files that use the .orig file extension usually contain backup files. The .orig file extension is used to notate that a file is an original version of the file when a revised or updated copy of the file is made and the original file is kept for backup purposes.

Because a variety of software applications use the .orig file extension, the files themselves can contain a variety of data types. Usually the original file extension is included with the file name when the ORIG file is created. For example, if an ORIG file is being created from a file with the name of document1.doc, the file name would be changed to document1.doc.orig.

ORIG files are commonly used on Linux and Unix operating systems. The files are created when patches and updates are installed on the user's system. This allows a user to roll back the system if the update creates performance issues with the user's computer.