What is MIME type "audio/x-mp4a"?

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

audio/x-mp4a is a MIME type that signals audio data wrapped in an MP4 container. It usually carries AAC-encoded sound and clarifies to software how to process the file.
It overlaps with audio/mp4 but focuses on audio-only content.

Files using this MIME type appear in several forms, such as M4A, M4B, and MP4A.

• Usage: Digital music, audiobooks, and streaming audio.
• Functionality: Enables efficient audio compression with high quality.
• Compatibility: Recognized by most media players and web browsers on PCs.

This MIME type ensures that audio files are correctly identified and handled, making playback and editing smooth on various platforms.

Associated file extensions

.m4a, .m4b, .mp4a

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

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

    Content-Type: audio/x-mp4a
  

HTML

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

    <a href="file.dat" type="audio/x-mp4a">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', 'audio/x-mp4a');
      res.end('Content here');
    }).listen(3000);
  

Associated file extensions

.m4a, .m4b, .mp4a