MIME Types Lookup

Look up MIME types by file extension (.json, .png, .mp4) or search by content type (application/json). A comprehensive reference covering 90+ MIME types across all media categories.

About MIME Types

MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) types identify the format of content transmitted over the internet. They're used in HTTP headers, HTML forms, and email to ensure correct file handling.

Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8

Search by Extension or MIME Type

2 results found

Extension

MIME Type

How to Use MIME Types Lookup

Type a file extension (e.g., '.json', '.png', '.mp4') or a MIME type (e.g., 'application/json', 'image/') into the search field to instantly filter results. Use the category tabs to browse by type: Text (text/html, text/css, text/javascript), Application (application/json, application/pdf), Image (image/png, image/jpeg, image/webp), Audio (audio/mpeg, audio/wav), Video (video/mp4, video/webm), and Font (font/woff2, font/ttf). Each entry shows the file extension, full MIME type, category, and a brief description. Click the copy button next to any MIME type to copy it for use in HTTP headers, server configuration, or code.

Common Use Cases

MIME type lookup is essential for web developers setting Content-Type headers in HTTP responses, back-end engineers configuring file upload validation to accept specific file types, DevOps professionals setting up web server MIME type mappings in nginx or Apache configuration, email developers specifying MIME types for email attachments, API developers documenting accepted content types, security professionals auditing allowed file types for upload vulnerabilities, front-end developers setting accept attributes on file input elements, and anyone configuring CDN or cloud storage (S3, GCS) content types for proper file serving.

Technical Details

MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) types, also called media types or content types, are standardized by IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority). The format is type/subtype, optionally with parameters (e.g., text/html; charset=UTF-8). The main types are: text (human-readable), application (binary or structured data), image, audio, video, font, and multipart. The 'application/octet-stream' type is the default for unknown binary files. Modern additions include application/json (RFC 8259), font/woff2 (Web Open Font Format 2.0), and image/webp (Google's WebP format). Servers must set correct MIME types for browsers to handle files properly - a mismatched MIME type can cause files to download instead of display, or trigger MIME-sniffing security issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

A MIME type (media type) is a standard label used to indicate the nature and format of a file or data. It consists of a type and subtype separated by a slash, like 'text/html' for HTML pages, 'image/png' for PNG images, or 'application/json' for JSON data. Web servers send MIME types in the Content-Type HTTP header so browsers know how to handle the response.

application/octet-stream is the default MIME type for arbitrary binary data when the actual type is unknown. When a browser receives this content type, it typically prompts the user to download the file rather than trying to display it. It's the 'catch-all' for binary files that don't have a more specific MIME type.

Incorrect MIME types can cause security vulnerabilities. If a server serves a JavaScript file as 'text/html', browsers might execute embedded scripts (XSS attack vector). The X-Content-Type-Options: nosniff header prevents browsers from 'MIME sniffing' - guessing the type from content rather than trusting the declared type. Always set correct MIME types and use this header.