Which MIME types are related to file extension ".nst"?

The .nst file extension is associated with 2 MIME types:

application/vnd.ms-outlook, application/octet-stream.

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

About .nst Files

NST files are used in two distinct ways. One use is as a Personal Folder File for Microsoft Outlook, and the other is as a savestate file for the Nestopia emulator.

When used as a Personal Folder File, NST files help store emails, contacts, calendars, and other user data. They carry the MIME type application/vnd.ms-outlook and serve as storage containers for offline data. To view or edit these files, you can use Microsoft Outlook or other compatible email programs.

Use Case: Archiving and managing personal email data
Key Fact: They store important user information for offline access

Alternatively, NST files are also used to save the state of a game in the Nestopia emulator. Under the generic MIME type application/octet-stream, these files capture a snapshot of a game’s current progress so you can return to the same moment later. This function is built into the Nestopia emulator, allowing you to resume play easily.

Use Case: Saving a snapshot of an ongoing game
Key Fact: They store binary data that records the complete game state

Based on information from FilExt.com, the same NST extension serves two very different purposes. Use the appropriate software—Microsoft Outlook for personal folder files and the Nestopia emulator for game savestates—to work with these files properly.

Relationship between file extension and MIME type

A file extension is a suffix at the end of a filename that indicates what type of file it is. File extensions help both users and operating systems identify what application should be used to open the file.

File extensions are typically separated from the filename by a period (dot) and consist of 2-4 characters, though they can be longer. For example, in the filename "document.pdf", ".pdf" is the file extension.

File extensions are closely related to MIME types, as they both serve to identify the format of a file. However, while MIME types are used primarily by web browsers and servers, file extensions are used by operating systems and applications.

Associated MIME types

application/vnd.ms-outlook, application/octet-stream

FAQ

What is a MIME type?

A MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) type is a standard that indicates the nature and format of a document, file, or assortment of bytes. MIME types are defined and standardized in IETF's RFC 6838.

MIME types are important because they help browsers and servers understand how to process a file. When a browser receives a file from a server, it uses the MIME type to determine how to display or handle the content, whether it's an image to display, a PDF to open in a viewer, or a video to play.

MIME types consist of a type and a subtype, separated by a slash (e.g., text/html, image/jpeg, application/pdf). Some MIME types also include optional parameters.

How do I find the MIME type for a file?

You can check the file extension or use a file identification tool such as file --mime-type on the command line. Many programming languages also provide libraries to detect MIME types.

Why can one extension have multiple MIME types?

Different programs and historical usage may assign various MIME identifiers to the same file format. Listing them together helps maintain compatibility across tools.