What is MIME type "video/x-ms-wma"?

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

video/x-ms-wma is the MIME type for Windows Media Audio content. Even with the word video in its name, it represents an audio format. This naming is a legacy from earlier multimedia classifications.

Purpose and Functionality
It tells systems and web browsers how to handle a file. The type supports streaming and playback of audio with advanced compression. This results in smaller file sizes while keeping good sound quality.

Common Uses

Playback in media players like Windows Media Player.
Streaming audio over the Internet.
Supporting digital rights management in protected content.

Additional Applications

Integration in multimedia projects.
Use in online radio and podcast streaming.
Distribution of professional audio files.

File Association
Files with the WMA extension use this MIME type. The tag helps software decide how to process and play the file.

For more details, see Windows Media Audio on Wikipedia.

Associated file extensions

.wma

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

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


    Content-Type: video/x-ms-wma

HTML

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


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

Associated file extensions

.wma

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 are multiple MIME types listed for one extension?

Different applications and historical conventions may use alternative MIME identifiers for the same kind of file. Showing them all helps ensure compatibility across systems.