Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) is a specification for creating file formats to be used in the exchange of e-mail, in Web documents, and in other applications on intranets and on the Internet. Each MIME format includes a MIME content type ("MIME type") and subtype which denote the kind of data stored in the file. MIME types and subtypes are typically listed as type/subtype. For example, an MPEG video file would be listed as "video/mpeg." MIME type/subtype listings include acceptable file name extensions. For example, a table listing MIME information for an MPEG file might have an MPEG entry that appears as follows:
Type/Subtype | Extensions |
---|---|
video/mpeg | .mpe, .mpeg, .mpg |
MIME-formatted content is widely used in Web documents. For example, you could link an MPEG file to a Web page. When a user viewing the page clicks on the MPEG-file link, Internet Information Services (IIS) and the Microsoft® Internet Explorer browser perform the following sequence of events when downloading the MPEG file to the browser for display:
IIS includes a table of the most common Web-related mime types/subtypes and associated file name extensions. If IIS does not have MIME information for a MIME-formatted file that you download, then IIS will attach a default MIME identity to that file. As a result, the client receiving the file may misinterpret its contents. You can manually add MIME types, subtypes, and file name extensions to IIS for files whose MIME identity is not in the table. See the section on adding MIME types which applies to your version of IIS.
Note that when planning to use a MIME format, you must configure the browser for a helper application to process any MIME type not supported directly by the browser.
This reference contains two versions of the same MIME table:
If you have a MIME extension and want to find the MIME type/subtype used by IIS 4.0 or IIS 5.0, look it up in the first table, "MIME Formats in IIS, in Extension Order."
If you have a MIME type/subtype, and want to find out if it's registered in IIS 4.0 or IIS 5.0, look in the second table, "MIME Formats in IIS, in Type/Subtype Order." This table is also good for finding a file extension used for a given MIME type/subtype.
MIME types can be registered in IIS 4.0 using the Internet Service Manager console.
For example, to add the XML MIME type using Internet Service Manager:
Any other extensions, such as .xsl (eXtensible Style Sheets), may be added using the same procedures.
MIME types can be registered in IIS 5.0 using the IIS snap-in.
For example, to add the XML MIME type to the default Web site using the IIS snap-in:
To add the XML MIME type to all sites running on a given machine:
Any other extensions, such as .xsl (eXtensible Style Sheets), may be added using the same procedures.
When a Web server returns a file to a browser, it sends information identifying the type of content being returned. When an ASP application is generating content other than HTML, it must declare a MIME type/subtype using the ContentType property of the Response object.
For example, when generating XML dynamically using ASP, the XML MIME type/subtype must be declared in the ASP file itself. Using the ContentType property of the Response object, indicate that the output is XML, as follows: <% Response.ContentType = "text/xml" %>
The following table lists the MIME content-types, listed in order of file name extensions, registered in IIS 4.0 and IIS 5.0.
Extension |
Type/sub-type |
IIS 4.0 |
IIS 5.0 |
---|---|---|---|
* | application/octet-stream | Yes | Yes |
323 | text/h323 | No | Yes |
acx | application/internet-property-stream | No | Yes |
ai | application/postscript | Yes | Yes |
aif | audio/x-aiff | Yes | Yes |
aifc | audio/x-aiff | Yes | Yes |
aiff | audio/x-aiff | Yes | Yes |
asf | video/x-ms-asf | No | Yes |
asr | video/x-ms-asf | No | Yes |
asx | video/x-ms-asf | No | Yes |
au | audio/basic | Yes | Yes |
avi | video/x-msvideo | Yes | Yes |
axs | application/olescript | No | Yes |
bas | text/plain | Yes | Yes |
bcpio | application/x-bcpio | Yes | Yes |
bin | application/octet-stream | Yes | Yes |
bmp | image/bmp | Yes | Yes |
c | text/plain | Yes | Yes |
cat | application/vnd.ms-pkiseccat | No | Yes |
cdf | application/x-cdf | No | Yes |
cer | application/x-x509-ca-cert | No | Yes |
class | application/octet-stream | Yes | Yes |
clp | application/x-msclip | Yes | Yes |
cmx | image/x-cmx | Yes | Yes |
cod | image/cis-cod | Yes | Yes |
cpio | application/x-cpio | Yes | Yes |
crd | application/x-mscardfile | Yes | Yes |
crl | application/pkix-crl | No | Yes |
crt | application/x-x509-ca-cert | No | Yes |
csh | application/x-csh | Yes | Yes |
css | text/css | No | Yes |
dcr | application/x-director | Yes | Yes |
der | application/x-x509-ca-cert | No | Yes |
dir | application/x-director | Yes | Yes |
dll | application/x-msdownload | No | Yes |
dms | application/octet-stream | Yes | Yes |
doc | application/msword | Yes | Yes |
dot | application/msword | Yes | Yes |
dvi | application/x-dvi | Yes | Yes |
dxr | application/x-director | Yes | Yes |
eps | application/postscript | Yes | Yes |
etx | text/x-setext | Yes | Yes |
evy | application/envoy | Yes | Yes |
exe | application/octet-stream | Yes | Yes |
fif | application/fractals | No | Yes |
flr | x-world/x-vrml | Yes | Yes |
gif | image/gif | Yes | Yes |
gtar | application/x-gtar | Yes | Yes |
gz | application/x-gzip | No | Yes |
h | text/plain | Yes | Yes |
hdf | application/x-hdf | Yes | Yes |
hlp | application/winhlp | Yes | Yes |
hqx | application/mac-binhex40 | Yes | Yes |
hta | application/hta | No | Yes |
htc | text/x-component | No | Yes |
htm | text/html | Yes | Yes |
html | text/html | Yes | Yes |
htt | text/webviewhtml | No | Yes |
ico | image/x-icon | No | Yes |
ief | image/ief | Yes | Yes |
iii | application/x-iphone | No | Yes |
ins | application/x-internet-signup | No | Yes |
isp | application/x-internet-signup | No | Yes |
jfif | image/pipeg | No | Yes |
jpe | image/jpeg | Yes | Yes |
jpeg | image/jpeg | Yes | Yes |
jpg | image/jpeg | Yes | Yes |
js | application/x-javascript | Yes | Yes |
latex | application/x-latex | Yes | Yes |
lha | application/octet-stream | Yes | Yes |
lsf | video/x-la-asf | No | Yes |
lsx | video/x-la-asf | No | Yes |
lzh | application/octet-stream | Yes | Yes |
m13 | application/x-msmediaview | Yes | Yes |
m14 | application/x-msmediaview | Yes | Yes |
m3u | audio/x-mpegurl | No | Yes |
man | application/x-troff-man | Yes | Yes |
mdb | application/x-msaccess | Yes | Yes |
me | application/x-troff-me | Yes | Yes |
mht | message/rfc822 | No | Yes |
mhtml | message/rfc822 | No | Yes |
mid | audio/mid | No | Yes |
mny | application/x-msmoney | Yes | Yes |
mov | video/quicktime | Yes | Yes |
movie | video/x-sgi-movie | Yes | Yes |
mp2 | video/mpeg | Yes | Yes |
mp3 | audio/mpeg | No | Yes |
mpa | video/mpeg | Yes | Yes |
mpe | video/mpeg | Yes | Yes |
mpeg | video/mpeg | Yes | Yes |
mpg | video/mpeg | Yes | Yes |
mpp | application/vnd.ms-project | Yes | Yes |
mpv2 | video/mpeg | Yes | Yes |
ms | application/x-troff-ms | Yes | Yes |
mvb | application/x-msmediaview | Yes | Yes |
nws | message/rfc822 | No | Yes |
oda | application/oda | Yes | Yes |
p10 | application/pkcs10 | No | Yes |
p12 | application/x-pkcs12 | No | Yes |
p7b | application/x-pkcs7-certificates | No | Yes |
p7c | application/x-pkcs7-mime | No | Yes |
p7m | application/x-pkcs7-mime | No | Yes |
p7r | application/x-pkcs7-certreqresp | No | Yes |
p7s | application/x-pkcs7-signature | No | Yes |
pbm | image/x-portable-bitmap | Yes | Yes |
application/pdf | Yes | Yes | |
pfx | application/x-pkcs12 | No | Yes |
pgm | image/x-portable-graymap | Yes | Yes |
pko | application/ynd.ms-pkipko | No | Yes |
pma | application/x-perfmon | Yes | Yes |
pmc | application/x-perfmon | Yes | Yes |
pml | application/x-perfmon | Yes | Yes |
pmr | application/x-perfmon | Yes | Yes |
pmw | application/x-perfmon | Yes | Yes |
pnm | image/x-portable-anymap | Yes | Yes |
pot, | application/vnd.ms-powerpoint | Yes | Yes |
ppm | image/x-portable-pixmap | Yes | Yes |
pps | application/vnd.ms-powerpoint | Yes | Yes |
ppt | application/vnd.ms-powerpoint | Yes | Yes |
prf | application/pics-rules | No | Yes |
ps | application/postscript | Yes | Yes |
pub | application/x-mspublisher | Yes | Yes |
qt | video/quicktime | Yes | Yes |
ra | audio/x-pn-realaudio | Yes | Yes |
ram | audio/x-pn-realaudio | Yes | Yes |
ras | image/x-cmu-raster | Yes | Yes |
rgb | image/x-rgb | Yes | Yes |
rmi | audio/mid | No | Yes |
roff | application/x-troff | Yes | Yes |
rtf | application/rtf | Yes | Yes |
rtx | text/richtext | Yes | Yes |
scd | application/x-msschedule | Yes | Yes |
sct | text/scriptlet | No | Yes |
setpay | application/set-payment-initiation | No | Yes |
setreg | application/set-registration-initiation | No | Yes |
sh | application/x-sh | Yes | Yes |
shar | application/x-shar | Yes | Yes |
sit | application/x-stuffit | No | Yes |
snd | audio/basic | Yes | Yes |
spc | application/x-pkcs7-certificates | No | Yes |
spl | application/futuresplash | No | Yes |
src | application/x-wais-source | Yes | Yes |
sst | application/vnd.ms-pkicertstore | No | Yes |
stl | application/vnd.ms-pkistl | No | Yes |
stm | text/html | Yes | Yes |
sv4cpio | application/x-sv4cpio | Yes | Yes |
sv4crc | application/x-sv4crc | Yes | Yes |
t | application/x-troff | Yes | Yes |
tar | application/x-tar | Yes | Yes |
tcl | application/x-tcl | Yes | Yes |
tex | application/x-tex | Yes | Yes |
texi | application/x-texinfo | Yes | Yes |
texinfo | application/x-texinfo | Yes | Yes |
tgz | application/x-compressed | No | Yes |
tif | image/tiff | Yes | Yes |
tiff | image/tiff | Yes | Yes |
tr | application/x-troff | Yes | Yes |
trm | application/x-msterminal | Yes | Yes |
tsv | text/tab-separated-values | Yes | Yes |
txt | text/plain | Yes | Yes |
uls | text/iuls | No | Yes |
ustar | application/x-ustar | Yes | Yes |
vcf | text/x-vcard | No | Yes |
vrml | x-world/x-vrml | Yes | Yes |
wav | audio/x-wav | Yes | Yes |
wcm | application/vnd.ms-works | Yes | Yes |
wdb | application/vnd.ms-works | Yes | Yes |
wks | application/vnd.ms-works | Yes | Yes |
wmf | application/x-msmetafile | Yes | Yes |
wps | application/vnd.ms-works | Yes | Yes |
wri | application/x-mswrite | Yes | Yes |
wrl | x-world/x-vrml | Yes | Yes |
wrz | x-world/x-vrml | Yes | Yes |
xaf | x-world/x-vrml | Yes | Yes |
xbm | image/x-xbitmap | Yes | Yes |
xla | application/vnd.ms-excel | Yes | Yes |
xlc | application/vnd.ms-excel | Yes | Yes |
xlm | application/vnd.ms-excel | Yes | Yes |
xls | application/vnd.ms-excel | Yes | Yes |
xlt | application/vnd.ms-excel | Yes | Yes |
xlw | application/vnd.ms-excel | Yes | Yes |
xof | x-world/x-vrml | Yes | Yes |
xpm | image/x-xpixmap | Yes | Yes |
xwd | image/x-xwindowdump | Yes | Yes |
z | application/x-compress | No | Yes |
zip | application/zip | Yes | Yes |
The following table lists the MIME content-types, listed in order of MIME content type/subtype, registered in IIS 4.0 and IIS 5.0.
Type/sub-type | Extension | IIS 4.0 | IIS 5.0 |
---|---|---|---|
application/envoy | evy | Yes | Yes |
application/fractals | fif | No | Yes |
application/futuresplash | spl | No | Yes |
application/hta | hta | No | Yes |
application/internet-property-stream | acx | No | Yes |
application/mac-binhex40 | hqx | Yes | Yes |
application/msword | doc | Yes | Yes |
application/msword | dot | Yes | Yes |
application/octet-stream | * | Yes | Yes |
application/octet-stream | bin | Yes | Yes |
application/octet-stream | class | Yes | Yes |
application/octet-stream | dms | Yes | Yes |
application/octet-stream | exe | Yes | Yes |
application/octet-stream | lha | Yes | Yes |
application/octet-stream | lzh | Yes | Yes |
application/oda | oda | Yes | Yes |
application/olescript | axs | No | Yes |
application/pdf | Yes | Yes | |
application/pics-rules | prf | No | Yes |
application/pkcs10 | p10 | No | Yes |
application/pkix-crl | crl | No | Yes |
application/postscript | ai | Yes | Yes |
application/postscript | eps | Yes | Yes |
application/postscript | ps | Yes | Yes |
application/rtf | rtf | Yes | Yes |
application/set-payment-initiation | setpay | No | Yes |
application/set-registration-initiation | setreg | No | Yes |
application/vnd.ms-excel | xla | Yes | Yes |
application/vnd.ms-excel | xlc | Yes | Yes |
application/vnd.ms-excel | xlm | Yes | Yes |
application/vnd.ms-excel | xls | Yes | Yes |
application/vnd.ms-excel | xlt | Yes | Yes |
application/vnd.ms-excel | xlw | Yes | Yes |
application/vnd.ms-pkicertstore | sst | No | Yes |
application/vnd.ms-pkiseccat | cat | No | Yes |
application/vnd.ms-pkistl | stl | No | Yes |
application/vnd.ms-powerpoint | pot, | Yes | Yes |
application/vnd.ms-powerpoint | pps | Yes | Yes |
application/vnd.ms-powerpoint | ppt | Yes | Yes |
application/vnd.ms-project | mpp | Yes | Yes |
application/vnd.ms-works | wcm | Yes | Yes |
application/vnd.ms-works | wdb | Yes | Yes |
application/vnd.ms-works | wks | Yes | Yes |
application/vnd.ms-works | wps | Yes | Yes |
application/winhlp | hlp | Yes | Yes |
application/x-bcpio | bcpio | Yes | Yes |
application/x-cdf | cdf | No | Yes |
application/x-compress | z | No | Yes |
application/x-compressed | tgz | No | Yes |
application/x-cpio | cpio | Yes | Yes |
application/x-csh | csh | Yes | Yes |
application/x-director | dcr | Yes | Yes |
application/x-director | dir | Yes | Yes |
application/x-director | dxr | Yes | Yes |
application/x-dvi | dvi | Yes | Yes |
application/x-gtar | gtar | Yes | Yes |
application/x-gzip | gz | No | Yes |
application/x-hdf | hdf | Yes | Yes |
application/x-internet-signup | ins | No | Yes |
application/x-internet-signup | isp | No | Yes |
application/x-iphone | iii | No | Yes |
application/x-javascript | js | Yes | Yes |
application/x-latex | latex | Yes | Yes |
application/x-msaccess | mdb | Yes | Yes |
application/x-mscardfile | crd | Yes | Yes |
application/x-msclip | clp | Yes | Yes |
application/x-msdownload | dll | No | Yes |
application/x-msmediaview | m13 | Yes | Yes |
application/x-msmediaview | m14 | Yes | Yes |
application/x-msmediaview | mvb | Yes | Yes |
application/x-msmetafile | wmf | Yes | Yes |
application/x-msmoney | mny | Yes | Yes |
application/x-mspublisher | pub | Yes | Yes |
application/x-msschedule | scd | Yes | Yes |
application/x-msterminal | trm | Yes | Yes |
application/x-mswrite | wri | Yes | Yes |
application/x-netcdf | cdf | Yes | Yes |
application/x-netcdf | nc | Yes | Yes |
application/x-perfmon | pma | Yes | Yes |
application/x-perfmon | pmc | Yes | Yes |
application/x-perfmon | pml | Yes | Yes |
application/x-perfmon | pmr | Yes | Yes |
application/x-perfmon | pmw | Yes | Yes |
application/x-pkcs12 | p12 | No | Yes |
application/x-pkcs12 | pfx | No | Yes |
application/x-pkcs7-certificates | p7b | No | Yes |
application/x-pkcs7-certificates | spc | No | Yes |
application/x-pkcs7-certreqresp | p7r | No | Yes |
application/x-pkcs7-mime | p7c | No | Yes |
application/x-pkcs7-mime | p7m | No | Yes |
application/x-pkcs7-signature | p7s | No | Yes |
application/x-sh | sh | Yes | Yes |
application/x-shar | shar | Yes | Yes |
application/x-stuffit | sit | No | Yes |
application/x-sv4cpio | sv4cpio | Yes | Yes |
application/x-sv4crc | sv4crc | Yes | Yes |
application/x-tar | tar | Yes | Yes |
application/x-tcl | tcl | Yes | Yes |
application/x-tex | tex | Yes | Yes |
application/x-texinfo | texi | Yes | Yes |
application/x-texinfo | texinfo | Yes | Yes |
application/x-troff | roff | Yes | Yes |
application/x-troff | t | Yes | Yes |
application/x-troff | tr | Yes | Yes |
application/x-troff-man | man | Yes | Yes |
application/x-troff-me | me | Yes | Yes |
application/x-troff-ms | ms | Yes | Yes |
application/x-ustar | ustar | Yes | Yes |
application/x-wais-source | src | Yes | Yes |
application/x-x509-ca-cert | cer | No | Yes |
application/x-x509-ca-cert | crt | No | Yes |
application/x-x509-ca-cert | der | No | Yes |
application/ynd.ms-pkipko | pko | No | Yes |
application/zip | zip | Yes | Yes |
audio/basic | au | Yes | Yes |
audio/basic | snd | Yes | Yes |
audio/mid | mid | No | Yes |
audio/mid | rmi | No | Yes |
audio/mpeg | mp3 | No | Yes |
audio/x-aiff | aif | Yes | Yes |
audio/x-aiff | aifc | Yes | Yes |
audio/x-aiff | aiff | Yes | Yes |
audio/x-mpegurl | m3u | No | Yes |
audio/x-pn-realaudio | ra | Yes | Yes |
audio/x-pn-realaudio | ram | Yes | Yes |
audio/x-wav | wav | Yes | Yes |
image/bmp | bmp | Yes | Yes |
image/cis-cod | cod | Yes | Yes |
image/gif | gif | Yes | Yes |
image/ief | ief | Yes | Yes |
image/jpeg | jpe | Yes | Yes |
image/jpeg | jpeg | Yes | Yes |
image/jpeg | jpg | Yes | Yes |
image/pipeg | jfif | No | Yes |
image/tiff | tif | Yes | Yes |
image/tiff | tiff | Yes | Yes |
image/x-cmu-raster | ras | Yes | Yes |
image/x-cmx | cmx | Yes | Yes |
image/x-icon | ico | No | Yes |
image/x-portable-anymap | pnm | Yes | Yes |
image/x-portable-bitmap | pbm | Yes | Yes |
image/x-portable-graymap | pgm | Yes | Yes |
image/x-portable-pixmap | ppm | Yes | Yes |
image/x-rgb | rgb | Yes | Yes |
image/x-xbitmap | xbm | Yes | Yes |
image/x-xpixmap | xpm | Yes | Yes |
image/x-xwindowdump | xwd | Yes | Yes |
message/rfc822 | mht | No | Yes |
message/rfc822 | mhtml | No | Yes |
message/rfc822 | nws | No | Yes |
text/css | css | No | Yes |
text/h323 | 323 | No | Yes |
text/html | htm | Yes | Yes |
text/html | html | Yes | Yes |
text/html | stm | Yes | Yes |
text/iuls | uls | No | Yes |
text/plain | bas | Yes | Yes |
text/plain | c | Yes | Yes |
text/plain | h | Yes | Yes |
text/plain | txt | Yes | Yes |
text/richtext | rtx | Yes | Yes |
text/scriptlet | sct | No | Yes |
text/tab-separated-values | tsv | Yes | Yes |
text/webviewhtml | htt | No | Yes |
text/x-component | htc | No | Yes |
text/x-setext | etx | Yes | Yes |
text/x-vcard | vcf | No | Yes |
video/mpeg | mp2 | Yes | Yes |
video/mpeg | mpa | Yes | Yes |
video/mpeg | mpe | Yes | Yes |
video/mpeg | mpeg | Yes | Yes |
video/mpeg | mpg | Yes | Yes |
video/mpeg | mpv2 | Yes | Yes |
video/quicktime | mov | Yes | Yes |
video/quicktime | qt | Yes | Yes |
video/x-la-asf | lsf | No | Yes |
video/x-la-asf | lsx | No | Yes |
video/x-ms-asf | asf | No | Yes |
video/x-ms-asf | asr | No | Yes |
video/x-ms-asf | asx | No | Yes |
video/x-msvideo | avi | Yes | Yes |
video/x-sgi-movie | movie | Yes | Yes |
x-world/x-vrml | flr | Yes | Yes |
x-world/x-vrml | vrml | Yes | Yes |
x-world/x-vrml | wrl | Yes | Yes |
x-world/x-vrml | wrz | Yes | Yes |
x-world/x-vrml | xaf | Yes | Yes |
x-world/x-vrml | xof | Yes | Yes |
Last updated November 13, 2000
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