What is a MIME Type?
MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) type is a standard identifier that tells applications what type of file they're working with. Every file has a MIME type that specifies its format, such as text/plain for text files, image/jpeg for JPEG images, or application/pdf for PDF documents. Our MIME type checker helps you instantly identify the MIME type of any file, along with other useful information like file size and last modified date.
Why MIME Types Matter
- File Validation: Ensure uploaded files are the correct type before processing
- Web Development: Set correct HTTP headers for file downloads
- Security: Prevent malicious files from being executed
- Compatibility: Verify files will work in target applications
- Debugging: Troubleshoot file handling issues
- Compliance: Meet file format requirements for systems
MIME Type Structure
MIME types follow the format type/subtype. The type indicates the general category (text, image, audio, video, application, etc.), while the subtype specifies the exact format. For example, in image/jpeg, "image" is the type and "jpeg" is the subtype. Some MIME types include parameters, like text/html; charset=UTF-8.
Main MIME Type Categories
Text types (text/plain, text/html) represent human-readable text files. Image types (image/jpeg, image/png) represent graphical files. Audio types (audio/mpeg, audio/wav) represent sound files. Video types (video/mp4, video/mpeg) represent video files. Application types (application/pdf, application/json) represent files that require specific application handling.
How File Detection Works
Modern browsers and systems detect MIME types through multiple methods: file extension, file header (magic bytes), and explicit metadata. Our tool uses the browser's built-in file type detection to identify the MIME type while also displaying file properties like size and modification date. This information is useful for developers, system administrators, and anyone working with file uploads or transfers.