What is MIME type "application/vnd.ms-powerpoint"?

A MIME type is a string that tells browsers and other tools how to handle a particular kind of file.

application/vnd.ms-powerpoint is the MIME type that signals a Microsoft PowerPoint file in its older binary format. It tells your system which application should open the file and how to process its contents.
Files managed by this MIME type can include slide layouts, embedded media, animations, and transitions.

This MIME type is used by various PowerPoint file types such as PPT, PPZ, PPS, POT, and PPA.

• Main Use: Creating and displaying slide show presentations.
• Content Integration: Embedding images, audio, video, and animations in slides.
• Template Storage: Saving preset designs that can be reused in multiple presentations.
• Legacy Compatibility: Supporting older systems and workflows that rely on the binary file format.

This MIME type ensures that applications, web browsers, and email clients recognize and correctly handle PowerPoint files, even as newer XML-based formats become more common.
For further technical details, visit Wikipedia.

Associated file extensions

.ppt, .ppz, .pps, .pot, .ppa

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

When serving content with this MIME type, set the Content-Type header:

    Content-Type: application/vnd.ms-powerpoint
  

HTML

In HTML, you can specify the MIME type in various elements:

    <a href="file.dat" type="application/vnd.ms-powerpoint">Download file</a>
  

Server-side (Node.js)

Setting the Content-Type header in Node.js:

    const http = require('http');
    
    http.createServer((req, res) => {
      res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'application/vnd.ms-powerpoint');
      res.end('Content here');
    }).listen(3000);
  

Associated file extensions

.ppt, .ppz, .pps, .pot, .ppa