Windows (.bmp)
.bmp file signature | image/bmp
Windows Bitmap (BMP) is an image file format developed by Microsoft for storing device-independent raster graphics. It is commonly used for simple images, screenshots, icons, and graphics in Windows applications and system components. The format is longstanding and still supported, but because it is often uncompressed and a legacy format, BMP files can be large and should still be opened from trusted sources.
Magic Bytes
Offset 0
42 4D
Sources: Apache Tika, Wikipedia, Gary Kessler, Neil Harvey FileSignatures
Extension
.bmp
MIME Type
image/bmp
Byte Offset
0
Risk Level
Safe
Validation Code
How to validate .bmp files in Python
def is_bmp(file_path: str) -> bool:
"""Check if file is a valid BMP by magic bytes."""
signature = bytes([0x42, 0x4D])
with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
return f.read(2) == signatureHow to validate .bmp files in Node.js
function isBMP(buffer: Buffer): boolean {
const signature = Buffer.from([0x42, 0x4D]);
return buffer.subarray(0, 2).equals(signature);
}How to validate .bmp files in Go
func IsBMP(data []byte) bool {
signature := []byte{0x42, 0x4D}
if len(data) < 2 {
return false
}
return bytes.Equal(data[:2], signature)
}API Endpoint
/api/v1/bmp
curl https://filesignature.org/api/v1/bmp
See the full API documentation for all endpoints and parameters.
Related Formats
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a .bmp file?
A .bmp file is a Windows file. Windows Bitmap (BMP) is an image file format developed by Microsoft for storing device-independent raster graphics. It is commonly used for simple images, screenshots, icons, and graphics in Windows applications and system components. The format is longstanding and still supported, but because it is often uncompressed and a legacy format, BMP files can be large and should still be opened from trusted sources.
What are the magic bytes for .bmp files?
The magic bytes for Windows files are 42 4D at byte offset 0. These bytes uniquely identify the file format regardless of the file extension.
How do I validate a .bmp file?
To validate a .bmp file, read the first bytes of the file and compare them against the known magic bytes (42 4D) at offset 0. This is more reliable than checking the file extension alone, as extensions can be renamed.
What is the MIME type for .bmp files?
The primary MIME type for .bmp files is image/bmp.
Is it safe to open .bmp files?
Windows (.bmp) files are generally safe to open. They are classified as low risk because they primarily contain data rather than executable code. However, always ensure files come from a trusted source.