MIME types

Convert MIME types to file extensions and vice-versa.

Enable JavaScript to use the interactive tool. The guide below explains how it works.

MIME Types

What it does

The MIME Types tool is a comprehensive reference and conversion utility for Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME). It allows users to quickly find the file extensions associated with a specific MIME type or identify the correct MIME type for a given file extension.

Why professionals use it

• Web Development: Correctly setting the Content-Type header in HTTP responses so browsers handle files (like images, scripts, or PDFs) correctly.
• Server Configuration: Mapping file extensions to MIME types in web server configurations (e.g., Apache, Nginx).
• File Upload Handling: Validating uploaded files on the backend by checking their MIME type against allowed lists.
• Email Programming: Attaching files to emails with the appropriate MIME type to ensure they are interpreted correctly by mail clients.

Instructions

Mime type to extension

1. Locate the Mime type to extension card.
2. Select or search for a MIME type (e.g., application/json) in the dropdown.
3. The tool will display all file extensions associated with that MIME type.

File extension to mime type

1. Locate the File extension to mime type card.
2. Select or search for a file extension (e.g., .jpg) in the dropdown.
3. The tool will display the primary MIME type associated with that extension.

Full Reference Table

• Scroll down to view a complete, searchable list of all supported MIME types and their corresponding extensions.

Examples

• JSON: application/json <-> .json
• JPEG Image: image/jpeg <-> .jpeg, .jpg, .jpe
• PDF Document: application/pdf <-> .pdf
• JavaScript: application/javascript <-> .js
• CSV: text/csv <-> .csv

FAQs

• What does MIME stand for? Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions. It was originally designed for email but is now the standard way to identify file formats on the web.
• Can a file extension have multiple MIME types? Generally, an extension has one primary MIME type, but some extensions might be associated with multiple types depending on the context or legacy standards.
• Can a MIME type have multiple extensions? Yes, many MIME types (like image/jpeg) support multiple common extensions (.jpg, .jpeg).

Common Mistakes

• Typos: Confusing similar MIME types, like application/javascript and text/javascript.
• Incomplete Mappings: Assuming a file extension always implies a specific MIME type without verification.
• Case Sensitivity: While MIME types are generally case-insensitive, it's best practice to use lowercase.

Use Cases

• API Development: Ensuring your API returns application/json so clients can parse the response automatically.
• Cloud Storage: Setting the correct metadata when uploading files to services like Amazon S3 or Google Cloud Storage.
• Security: Preventing "MIME sniffing" attacks by explicitly defining the content type of your files.

Related Tools

• HTTP Status Codes: Understand the response headers that accompany MIME types.
• User Agent Parser: See how different devices might request different content types.
• Base64 File Converter: Encode files of various MIME types into strings for web use.