Common Internet file formats
Summary
Learn about common Internet file formats.
Products Affected
QuickTime, Preview
Many of the file types listed in the table below can be handled directly by your Web browser. Sometimes a "helper application" is needed to open or use the file. Many of the multimedia file types listed below can be opened with QuickTime Player, Preview (Mac OS X) or PictureViewer (Mac OS 8, 9).
| .au | This is a common sound format on the World Wide Web. | Use QuickTime or Sound Player to play it. |
| .aiff | Uncompressed sound format. | Use QuickTime or Sound Player. |
| .bin | MacBinary II encoded file. Make sure to download as MacBinary or Binary. | Use Stuffit Expander to return to a usable Macintosh file (if it is not already). |
| .doc | DOS/Windows file. | Use MS-Word (or other text application). |
| .exe | DOS/Windows program or a DOS/Windows self-extracting archive. | Must be run on a PC (or a Macintosh with hardware- or software-based PC compatibility). |
| .gif | GIF (Graphical Interchange Format). A common graphics file format. | Use QuickTime, your web browser, Graphic Converter, Photoshop, GIFConverter, JPEGView. |
| .gz | .gz is the Gnu version of zip. Used on UNIX systems. | Use Stuffit Expander to extract archives, or macgzip to view and extract archives. |
| .html, .htm | HTML (HyperText Markup Language), the code that web pages are formed with. A plain text file. | Use your web browser or any text editor (like SimpleText). |
| .hqx | BinHex. Encodes a Macintosh file into 7-bit text so it can be transferred across the Internet. | Use Stuffit Expander to decode the file and return it to its original state. |
| .img | Macintosh Disk Image. | Use Disk Copy to mount the disk image on your Macintosh desktop. The mounted disk image will behave as a read-only disk. |
| .jpeg, .jpg, .jfif | JPEG/JFIF, a graphic format. | Use QuickTime, your web browser, or a graphics viewer such as JPEGView. |
| .mpeg, .mpg | An MPEG movie. | Use QuickTime Player. |
| .mp2, .mp3 | MPEG Layer II and Layer III compressed audio. | Use QuickTime Player or a third-party mp3 player. |
| .moov, .mov, .qt, .movie | QuickTime movie. | Use QuickTime Player. |
| Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format. Download these files as binary. | Use Adobe Acrobat Reader or Preview. | |
| .ra, .ram, .rm | RealNetworks audio or video | Use RealPlayer. |
| .ps | Postscript file. Plain text file. | Send to a PostScript printer with the LaserWriter Font Utility or view it onscreen using Ghostscript. |
| .scr | Disk Copy Script. | Use Disk Copy. |
| .sea | Macintosh self-extracting archive. | Open it in the Finder. |
| .sit | Stuffit Archive - Binary. | Download as MacBinary, and use Stuffit Expander. |
| .smi | A self-mounting image, created by Disk Copy. | Similar to .img, but does not require the use of Disk Copy. Download the .smi file and open it. A disk image will appear on your desktop. |
| .tar | UNIX tar program takes separate files and turns them into a single file. Extensions such as .tar.Z, .tar.gz and .tgz (latter two are equivalent) require decompression first, then un-tar. | Extract with Stuffit Expander, or use Tar. |
| .tiff, .tif | image format. | Use QuickTime Player, Preview, JPEGView, or GraphicConverter. |
| .txt | A plain text file. | Use your web browser, or any text editor such as SimpleText. |
| .uu, .uue | A uuencoded file. | Use Stuffit Deluxe, UU Undo, or UUunencode to decode it. |
| .wav | Windows Wave format sound. | Use QuickTime Player. |
| .Z | UNIX Compressed File. | If you are downloading via ftp, most ftp servers will expand for you if you drop the ".Z". Otherwise, use Stuffit Expander with Expander Enhancer. |
| .zip | pkzip, a common DOS/Windows compression format. | Use ZipIt, Stuffit Expander, or MacUnZip. |
Important
: Information about products not manufactured by Apple is provided for information purposes only, and does not constitute Apple's recommendation or endorsement. Please
for additional information.
Important: Information about products not manufactured by Apple is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute Apple’s recommendation or endorsement. Please contact the vendor for additional information.
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