Audio File MIME Types

Audio files must be recognized by a web browser so that the browser knows how to handle it. The standard for identifying file types — Multi-Purpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) — stipulates the nature of non-text files transmitted by email. MIME, however, is also used by Web browsers. To embed audio into a web page, you'll need to verify that the browser understands the file's MIME type.

Use MIME types to embed sound files in your web pages using the HTML4 standard. Include the MIME type value in the "type" attribute of the "embed" element. For example:

<embed src="sunshine.mp3" type="audio/mpeg">

HTML4 doesn't support native playing of audio, just the embedding of the file. You'll need to use a plugin actually to play the file on a page.

In HTML5, the ​"audio" element supports the MP3, WAV, and OGG formats; if the browser doesn't support the element or the file type, it'll kick back an error message. Using "audio" allows the browser itself to play back supported sound files without the need for a plugin.

MIME types associate with common file extensions. The content-type indicator identifies the extension in greater detail. Content-type tags appear as slashed pairs, with the first term indicating the broad class of what it is — for example, audio or video — and the second term indicating the subtype. An audio type might support dozens of subtypes, including MPEG, WAV and RealAudio specifications.

If the MIME type has been supported by an official Internet standard, the standard will be indicated through a numbered Request for Comments that, when the comment period closes, defines the type or subtype officially. For example, RFC 3003 defines the audio/mpeg MIME type. Not all RFCs are officially approved; some, like RFC 3003, exist in a state of semi-permanent "proposed" status.

The following table identifies some of the most common audio-specific MIME types:

Audio File MIME Types