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TabBench

MIME Type Lookup

Search MIME types by file extension or type. See the right Content-Type for PDF, JSON, PNG, SVG, MP4, DOCX and about 200 more, and which ones compress well.

Runs in your browser. Nothing you add is uploaded.

What the MIME Type Lookup does

A MIME type (also called a media type or content type) is the label that tells software what a file is: image/png, application/json, text/css. Servers send it in the Content-Type header, browsers use it to decide whether to display, run or download a file, and upload forms send it to describe each file. Search by file extension to find the type to serve, or search by type to find every extension that uses it, across about 200 common formats.

How to find a MIME type

  1. Type a file extension with or without the dot (pdf), a MIME type (image/webp), or a word such as video or font.
  2. Narrow the results with a category button: Image, Video, Document, Archive and so on.
  3. Read the type, the description and any “unregistered” flag in each row.
  4. Use Copy to put the MIME type on your clipboard.
  5. Type an exact MIME type to see every extension that uses it, and whether it compresses well.

The MIME Type Lookup runs entirely in your browser — nothing you enter is uploaded, stored, or logged.

When to use it

Configuring a web server

Set the correct types for unusual files such as .webmanifest, .wasm or .woff2 so browsers handle them properly.

Validating uploads

Look up the allowed types for an upload field, for example application/pdf and image/jpeg, to build an allow-list.

Setting headers for downloads

Find the right Content-Type for a generated file and pair it with Content-Disposition in the Content-Type Lookup or the Header Generator.

Good to know

  • JavaScript is text/javascript (RFC 9239). application/javascript is obsolete.
  • Always send a charset with text types, for example text/html; charset=utf-8.
  • Do not compress images, video, archives or fonts such as WOFF2 again: they are already compressed.
  • Never trust a file extension alone for security. Check the file contents.
  • application/octet-stream means unknown binary data and triggers a download.

Frequently asked questions

What is a MIME type?

A label in the form type/subtype, such as image/png or application/json, that tells software what kind of data a file or HTTP response contains. Servers send it in the Content-Type header.

What is application/octet-stream?

The fallback for unknown binary data. Browsers do not try to display it; they offer to download it.

Why is a type marked unregistered?

It is not in the IANA registry, usually because it is an older x- type or a format nobody registered. Servers and browsers still use it, so it is listed with that note.

What is the MIME type for .docx, .xlsx and .pptx?

They are long vendor types: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document for Word, …spreadsheetml.sheet for Excel and …presentationml.presentation for PowerPoint. They are listed in full in the table, with a copy button.

Why do browsers sometimes ignore my Content-Type?

Without X-Content-Type-Options: nosniff, browsers may guess the type from the content (MIME sniffing). Send the correct type and nosniff so the browser trusts your label.

Is MIME type the same as file extension?

No. The extension is a naming convention; the MIME type is the label sent over the network. Several extensions can share one type (.jpg and .jpeg), and an extension can be wrong.

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