Get File MIME type in PHP

How To

PHP's finfo class wraps the fileinfo functions which can be used to get the MIME type of a file:

$finfo = new finfo(FILEINFO_MIME_TYPE);
$mimeType = $finfo->file('/tmp/test-file.xlsx');

This will give us a $mimeType of application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet and is a great way to dynamically get the MIME type of a file.

Here is the PHP documenation for the finfo class: https://www.php.net/manual/en/class.finfo.php, and here are the constants that can be passed when instantiating the class: https://www.php.net/manual/en/fileinfo.constants.php

A Woefully Incomplete List of MIME Types:

• .3dm x-world/x-3dmf
• .3dmf x-world/x-3dmf
• .a application/octet-stream
• .aab application/x-authorware-bin
• .aam application/x-authorware-map
• .aas application/x-authorware-seg
• .abc text/vnd.abc
• .acgi text/html
• .afl video/animaflex
• .ai application/postscript
• .aif audio/aiff
• .aif audio/x-aiff
• .aifc audio/aiff
• .aifc audio/x-aiff
• .aiff audio/aiff
• .aiff audio/x-aiff
• .aim application/x-aim
• .aip text/x-audiosoft-intra
• .ani application/x-navi-animation
• .aos application/x-nokia-9000-communicator-add-on-software
• .aps application/mime
• .arc application/octet-stream
• .arj application/arj
• .arj application/octet-stream
• .art image/x-jg
• .asf video/x-ms-asf
• .asm text/x-asm
• .asp text/asp
• .asx application/x-mplayer2
• .asx video/x-ms-asf
• .asx video/x-ms-asf-plugin
• .au audio/basic
• .au audio/x-au
• .avi application/x-troff-msvideo
• .avi video/avi
• .avi video/msvideo
• .avi video/x-msvideo
• .avs video/avs-video
• .bcpio application/x-bcpio
• .bin application/mac-binary
• .bin application/macbinary
• .bin application/octet-stream
• .bin application/x-binary
• .bin application/x-macbinary
• .bm image/bmp
• .bmp image/bmp
• .bmp image/x-windows-bmp
• .boo application/book
• .book application/book
• .boz application/x-bzip2
• .bsh application/x-bsh
• .bz application/x-bzip
• .bz2 application/x-bzip2
• .c text/plain
• .c text/x-c
• .c++ text/plain
• .cat application/vnd.ms-pki.seccat
• .cc text/plain
• .cc text/x-c
• .ccad application/clariscad
• .cco application/x-cocoa
• .cdf application/cdf
• .cdf application/x-cdf
• .cdf application/x-netcdf
• .cer application/pkix-cert
• .cer application/x-x509-ca-cert
• .cha application/x-chat
• .chat application/x-chat
• .class application/java
• .class application/java-byte-code
• .class application/x-java-class
• .com application/octet-stream
• .com text/plain
• .conf text/plain
• .cpio application/x-cpio
• .cpp text/x-c
• .cpt application/mac-compactpro
• .cpt application/x-compactpro
• .cpt application/x-cpt
• .crl application/pkcs-crl
• .crl application/pkix-crl
• .crt application/pkix-cert
• .crt application/x-x509-ca-cert
• .crt application/x-x509-user-cert
• .csh application/x-csh
• .csh text/x-script.csh
• .css application/x-pointplus
• .css text/css
• .cxx text/plain
• .dcr application/x-director
• .deepv application/x-deepv
• .def text/plain
• .der application/x-x509-ca-cert
• .dif video/x-dv
• .dir application/x-director
• .dl video/dl
• .dl video/x-dl
• .doc application/msword
• .dot application/msword
• .dp application/commonground
• .drw application/drafting
• .dump application/octet-stream
• .dv video/x-dv
• .dvi application/x-dvi
• .dwf drawing/x-dwf (old)
• .dwf model/vnd.dwf
• .dwg application/acad
• .dwg image/vnd.dwg
• .dwg image/x-dwg
• .dxf application/dxf
• .dxf image/vnd.dwg
• .dxf image/x-dwg
• .dxr application/x-director
• .el text/x-script.elisp
• .elc application/x-bytecode.elisp (compiled elisp)
• .elc application/x-elc
• .env application/x-envoy
• .eps application/postscript
• .es application/x-esrehber
• .etx text/x-setext
• .evy application/envoy
• .evy application/x-envoy
• .exe application/octet-stream
• .f text/plain
• .f text/x-fortran
• .f77 text/x-fortran
• .f90 text/plain
• .f90 text/x-fortran
• .fdf application/vnd.fdf
• .fif application/fractals
• .fif image/fif
• .fli video/fli
• .fli video/x-fli
• .flo image/florian
• .flx text/vnd.fmi.flexstor
• .fmf video/x-atomic3d-feature
• .for text/plain
• .for text/x-fortran
• .fpx image/vnd.fpx
• .fpx image/vnd.net-fpx
• .frl application/freeloader
• .funk audio/make
• .g text/plain
• .g3 image/g3fax
• .gif image/gif
• .gl video/gl
• .gl video/x-gl
• .gsd audio/x-gsm
• .gsm audio/x-gsm
• .gsp application/x-gsp
• .gss application/x-gss
• .gtar application/x-gtar
• .gz application/x-compressed
• .gz application/x-gzip
• .gzip application/x-gzip
• .gzip multipart/x-gzip
• .h text/plain
• .h text/x-h
• .hdf application/x-hdf
• .help application/x-helpfile
• .hgl application/vnd.hp-hpgl
• .hh text/plain
• .hh text/x-h
• .hlb text/x-script
• .hlp application/hlp
• .hlp application/x-helpfile
• .hlp application/x-winhelp
• .hpg application/vnd.hp-hpgl
• .hpgl application/vnd.hp-hpgl
• .hqx application/binhex
• .hqx application/binhex4
• .hqx application/mac-binhex
• .hqx application/mac-binhex40
• .hqx application/x-binhex40
• .hqx application/x-mac-binhex40
• .hta application/hta
• .htc text/x-component
• .htm text/html
• .html text/html
• .htmls text/html
• .htt text/webviewhtml
• .htx text/html
• .ice x-conference/x-cooltalk
• .ico image/x-icon
• .idc text/plain
• .ief image/ief
• .iefs image/ief
• .iges application/iges
• .iges model/iges
• .igs application/iges
• .igs model/iges
• .ima application/x-ima
• .imap application/x-httpd-imap
• .inf application/inf
• .ins application/x-internett-signup
• .ip application/x-ip2
• .isu video/x-isvideo
• .it audio/it
• .iv application/x-inventor
• .ivr i-world/i-vrml
• .ivy application/x-livescreen
• .jam audio/x-jam
• .jav text/plain
• .jav text/x-java-source
• .java text/plain
• .java text/x-java-source
• .jcm application/x-java-commerce
• .jfif image/jpeg
• .jfif image/pjpeg
• .jfif-tbnl image/jpeg
• .jpe image/jpeg
• .jpe image/pjpeg
• .jpeg image/jpeg
• .jpeg image/pjpeg
• .jpg image/jpeg
• .jpg image/pjpeg
• .jps image/x-jps
• .js application/x-javascript
• .js application/javascript
• .js application/ecmascript
• .js text/javascript
• .js text/ecmascript
• .jut image/jutvision
• .kar audio/midi
• .kar music/x-karaoke
• .ksh application/x-ksh
• .ksh text/x-script.ksh
• .la audio/nspaudio
• .la audio/x-nspaudio
• .lam audio/x-liveaudio
• .latex application/x-latex
• .lha application/lha
• .lha application/octet-stream
• .lha application/x-lha
• .lhx application/octet-stream
• .list text/plain
• .lma audio/nspaudio
• .lma audio/x-nspaudio
• .log text/plain
• .lsp application/x-lisp
• .lsp text/x-script.lisp
• .lst text/plain
• .lsx text/x-la-asf
• .ltx application/x-latex
• .lzh application/octet-stream
• .lzh application/x-lzh
• .lzx application/lzx
• .lzx application/octet-stream
• .lzx application/x-lzx
• .m text/plain
• .m text/x-m
• .m1v video/mpeg
• .m2a audio/mpeg
• .m2v video/mpeg
• .m3u audio/x-mpequrl
• .man application/x-troff-man
• .map application/x-navimap
• .mar text/plain
• .mbd application/mbedlet
• .mc$ application/x-magic-cap-package-1.0
• .mcd application/mcad
• .mcd application/x-mathcad
• .mcf image/vasa
• .mcf text/mcf
• .mcp application/netmc
• .me application/x-troff-me
• .mht message/rfc822
• .mhtml message/rfc822
• .mid application/x-midi
• .mid audio/midi
• .mid audio/x-mid
• .mid audio/x-midi
• .mid music/crescendo
• .mid x-music/x-midi
• .midi application/x-midi
• .midi audio/midi
• .midi audio/x-mid
• .midi audio/x-midi
• .midi music/crescendo
• .midi x-music/x-midi
• .mif application/x-frame
• .mif application/x-mif
• .mime message/rfc822
• .mime www/mime
• .mjf audio/x-vnd.audioexplosion.mjuicemediafile
• .mjpg video/x-motion-jpeg
• .mm application/base64
• .mm application/x-meme
• .mme application/base64
• .mod audio/mod
• .mod audio/x-mod
• .moov video/quicktime
• .mov video/quicktime
• .movie video/x-sgi-movie
• .mp2 audio/mpeg
• .mp2 audio/x-mpeg
• .mp2 video/mpeg
• .mp2 video/x-mpeg
• .mp2 video/x-mpeq2a
• .mp3 audio/mpeg3
• .mp3 audio/x-mpeg-3
• .mp3 video/mpeg
• .mp3 video/x-mpeg
• .mpa audio/mpeg
• .mpa video/mpeg
• .mpc application/x-project
• .mpe video/mpeg
• .mpeg video/mpeg
• .mpg audio/mpeg
• .mpg video/mpeg
• .mpga audio/mpeg
• .mpp application/vnd.ms-project
• .mpt application/x-project
• .mpv application/x-project
• .mpx application/x-project
• .mrc application/marc
• .ms application/x-troff-ms
• .mv video/x-sgi-movie
• .my audio/make
• .mzz application/x-vnd.audioexplosion.mzz
• .nap image/naplps
• .naplps image/naplps
• .nc application/x-netcdf
• .ncm application/vnd.nokia.configuration-message
• .nif image/x-niff
• .niff image/x-niff
• .nix application/x-mix-transfer
• .nsc application/x-conference
• .nvd application/x-navidoc
• .o application/octet-stream
• .oda application/oda
• .omc application/x-omc
• .omcd application/x-omcdatamaker
• .omcr application/x-omcregerator
• .p text/x-pascal
• .p10 application/pkcs10
• .p10 application/x-pkcs10
• .p12 application/pkcs-12
• .p12 application/x-pkcs12
• .p7a application/x-pkcs7-signature
• .p7c application/pkcs7-mime
• .p7c application/x-pkcs7-mime
• .p7m application/pkcs7-mime
• .p7m application/x-pkcs7-mime
• .p7r application/x-pkcs7-certreqresp
• .p7s application/pkcs7-signature
• .part application/pro_eng
• .pas text/pascal
• .pbm image/x-portable-bitmap
• .pcl application/vnd.hp-pcl
• .pcl application/x-pcl
• .pct image/x-pict
• .pcx image/x-pcx
• .pdb chemical/x-pdb
• .pdf application/pdf
• .pfunk audio/make
• .pfunk audio/make.my.funk
• .pgm image/x-portable-graymap
• .pgm image/x-portable-greymap
• .pic image/pict
• .pict image/pict
• .pkg application/x-newton-compatible-pkg
• .pko application/vnd.ms-pki.pko
• .pl text/plain
• .pl text/x-script.perl
• .plx application/x-pixclscript
• .pm image/x-xpixmap
• .pm text/x-script.perl-module
• .pm4 application/x-pagemaker
• .pm5 application/x-pagemaker
• .png image/png
• .pnm application/x-portable-anymap
• .pnm image/x-portable-anymap
• .pot application/mspowerpoint
• .pot application/vnd.ms-powerpoint
• .pov model/x-pov
• .ppa application/vnd.ms-powerpoint
• .ppm image/x-portable-pixmap
• .pps application/mspowerpoint
• .pps application/vnd.ms-powerpoint
• .ppt application/mspowerpoint
• .ppt application/powerpoint
• .ppt application/vnd.ms-powerpoint
• .ppt application/x-mspowerpoint
• .ppz application/mspowerpoint
• .pre application/x-freelance
• .prt application/pro_eng
• .ps application/postscript
• .psd application/octet-stream
• .pvu paleovu/x-pv
• .pwz application/vnd.ms-powerpoint
• .py text/x-script.phyton
• .pyc application/x-bytecode.python
• .qcp audio/vnd.qcelp
• .qd3 x-world/x-3dmf
• .qd3d x-world/x-3dmf
• .qif image/x-quicktime
• .qt video/quicktime
• .qtc video/x-qtc
• .qti image/x-quicktime
• .qtif image/x-quicktime
• .ra audio/x-pn-realaudio
• .ra audio/x-pn-realaudio-plugin
• .ra audio/x-realaudio
• .ram audio/x-pn-realaudio
• .ras application/x-cmu-raster
• .ras image/cmu-raster
• .ras image/x-cmu-raster
• .rast image/cmu-raster
• .rexx text/x-script.rexx
• .rf image/vnd.rn-realflash
• .rgb image/x-rgb
• .rm application/vnd.rn-realmedia
• .rm audio/x-pn-realaudio
• .rmi audio/mid
• .rmm audio/x-pn-realaudio
• .rmp audio/x-pn-realaudio
• .rmp audio/x-pn-realaudio-plugin
• .rng application/ringing-tones
• .rng application/vnd.nokia.ringing-tone
• .rnx application/vnd.rn-realplayer
• .roff application/x-troff
• .rp image/vnd.rn-realpix
• .rpm audio/x-pn-realaudio-plugin
• .rt text/richtext
• .rt text/vnd.rn-realtext
• .rtf application/rtf
• .rtf application/x-rtf
• .rtf text/richtext
• .rtx application/rtf
• .rtx text/richtext
• .rv video/vnd.rn-realvideo
• .s text/x-asm
• .s3m audio/s3m
• .saveme application/octet-stream
• .sbk application/x-tbook
• .scm application/x-lotusscreencam
• .scm text/x-script.guile
• .scm text/x-script.scheme
• .scm video/x-scm
• .sdml text/plain
• .sdp application/sdp
• .sdp application/x-sdp
• .sdr application/sounder
• .sea application/sea
• .sea application/x-sea
• .set application/set
• .sgm text/sgml
• .sgm text/x-sgml
• .sgml text/sgml
• .sgml text/x-sgml
• .sh application/x-bsh
• .sh application/x-sh
• .sh application/x-shar
• .sh text/x-script.sh
• .shar application/x-bsh
• .shar application/x-shar
• .shtml text/html
• .shtml text/x-server-parsed-html
• .sid audio/x-psid
• .sit application/x-sit
• .sit application/x-stuffit
• .skd application/x-koan
• .skm application/x-koan
• .skp application/x-koan
• .skt application/x-koan
• .sl application/x-seelogo
• .smi application/smil
• .smil application/smil
• .snd audio/basic
• .snd audio/x-adpcm
• .sol application/solids
• .spc application/x-pkcs7-certificates
• .spc text/x-speech
• .spl application/futuresplash
• .spr application/x-sprite
• .sprite application/x-sprite
• .src application/x-wais-source
• .ssi text/x-server-parsed-html
• .ssm application/streamingmedia
• .sst application/vnd.ms-pki.certstore
• .step application/step
• .stl application/sla
• .stl application/vnd.ms-pki.stl
• .stl application/x-navistyle
• .stp application/step
• .sv4cpio application/x-sv4cpio
• .sv4crc application/x-sv4crc
• .svf image/vnd.dwg
• .svf image/x-dwg
• .svr application/x-world
• .svr x-world/x-svr
• .swf application/x-shockwave-flash
• .t application/x-troff
• .talk text/x-speech
• .tar application/x-tar
• .tbk application/toolbook
• .tbk application/x-tbook
• .tcl application/x-tcl
• .tcl text/x-script.tcl
• .tcsh text/x-script.tcsh
• .tex application/x-tex
• .texi application/x-texinfo
• .texinfo application/x-texinfo
• .text application/plain
• .text text/plain
• .tgz application/gnutar
• .tgz application/x-compressed
• .tif image/tiff
• .tif image/x-tiff
• .tiff image/tiff
• .tiff image/x-tiff
• .tr application/x-troff
• .tsi audio/tsp-audio
• .tsp application/dsptype
• .tsp audio/tsplayer
• .tsv text/tab-separated-values
• .turbot image/florian
• .txt text/plain
• .uil text/x-uil
• .uni text/uri-list
• .unis text/uri-list
• .unv application/i-deas
• .uri text/uri-list
• .uris text/uri-list
• .ustar application/x-ustar
• .ustar multipart/x-ustar
• .uu application/octet-stream
• .uu text/x-uuencode
• .uue text/x-uuencode
• .vcd application/x-cdlink
• .vcs text/x-vcalendar
• .vda application/vda
• .vdo video/vdo
• .vew application/groupwise
• .viv video/vivo
• .viv video/vnd.vivo
• .vivo video/vivo
• .vivo video/vnd.vivo
• .vmd application/vocaltec-media-desc
• .vmf application/vocaltec-media-file
• .voc audio/voc
• .voc audio/x-voc
• .vos video/vosaic
• .vox audio/voxware
• .vqe audio/x-twinvq-plugin
• .vqf audio/x-twinvq
• .vql audio/x-twinvq-plugin
• .vrml application/x-vrml
• .vrml model/vrml
• .vrml x-world/x-vrml
• .vrt x-world/x-vrt
• .vsd application/x-visio
• .vst application/x-visio
• .vsw application/x-visio
• .w60 application/wordperfect6.0
• .w61 application/wordperfect6.1
• .w6w application/msword
• .wav audio/wav
• .wav audio/x-wav
• .wb1 application/x-qpro
• .wbmp image/vnd.wap.wbmp
• .web application/vnd.xara
• .wiz application/msword
• .wk1 application/x-123
• .wmf windows/metafile
• .wml text/vnd.wap.wml
• .wmlc application/vnd.wap.wmlc
• .wmls text/vnd.wap.wmlscript
• .wmlsc application/vnd.wap.wmlscriptc
• .word application/msword
• .wp application/wordperfect
• .wp5 application/wordperfect
• .wp5 application/wordperfect6.0
• .wp6 application/wordperfect
• .wpd application/wordperfect
• .wpd application/x-wpwin
• .wq1 application/x-lotus
• .wri application/mswrite
• .wri application/x-wri
• .wrl application/x-world
• .wrl model/vrml
• .wrl x-world/x-vrml
• .wrz model/vrml
• .wrz x-world/x-vrml
• .wsc text/scriplet
• .wsrc application/x-wais-source
• .wtk application/x-wintalk
• .xbm image/x-xbitmap
• .xbm image/x-xbm
• .xbm image/xbm
• .xdr video/x-amt-demorun
• .xgz xgl/drawing
• .xif image/vnd.xiff
• .xl application/excel
• .xla application/excel
• .xla application/x-excel
• .xla application/x-msexcel
• .xlb application/excel
• .xlb application/vnd.ms-excel
• .xlb application/x-excel
• .xlc application/excel
• .xlc application/vnd.ms-excel
• .xlc application/x-excel
• .xld application/excel
• .xld application/x-excel
• .xlk application/excel
• .xlk application/x-excel
• .xll application/excel
• .xll application/vnd.ms-excel
• .xll application/x-excel
• .xlm application/excel
• .xlm application/vnd.ms-excel
• .xlm application/x-excel
• .xls application/excel
• .xls application/vnd.ms-excel
• .xls application/x-excel
• .xls application/x-msexcel
• .xlt application/excel
• .xlt application/x-excel
• .xlv application/excel
• .xlv application/x-excel
• .xlw application/excel
• .xlw application/vnd.ms-excel
• .xlw application/x-excel
• .xlw application/x-msexcel
• .xm audio/xm
• .xml application/xml
• .xml text/xml
• .xmz xgl/movie
• .xpix application/x-vnd.ls-xpix
• .xpm image/x-xpixmap
• .xpm image/xpm
• .x-png image/png
• .xsr video/x-amt-showrun
• .xwd image/x-xwd
• .xwd image/x-xwindowdump
• .xyz chemical/x-pdb
• .z application/x-compress
• .z application/x-compressed
• .zip application/x-compressed
• .zip application/x-zip-compressed
• .zip application/zip
• .zip multipart/x-zip
• .zoo application/octet-stream
• .zsh text/x-script.zsh