Ventura Publisher/GEM VDI Image Format Bitmap file (.img)
.img file signature | application/octet-stream
The IMG format is a bitmap image file used by Ventura Publisher and the GEM VDI graphics subsystem, originally developed in the late 1980s by Xerox Ventura and Digital Research. It was used for storing simple raster images in desktop publishing and GEM-based applications. The format is legacy and largely obsolete; files are generally safe to open, though support is limited in modern software.
Magic Bytes
Offset 0
00 01 00 08 00 01 00 01 01
Sources: Gary Kessler
All Known Signatures
6 signature variants are documented for .img files across multiple sources.
| Hex Signature | Offset | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| 00 01 00 08 00 01 00 01 01 | 0 | Gary Kessler |
| 50 49 43 54 00 08 | 0 | Gary Kessler |
| 51 46 49 FB | 0 | Gary Kessler |
| 53 43 4D 49 | 0 | Gary Kessler |
| 7E 74 2C 01 50 70 02 4D 52 01 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 01 00 00 31 00 00 00 31 00 00 00 43 01 FF 00 01 00 08 00 01 00 00 00 7E 74 2C 01 | 0 | Gary Kessler |
| EB 3C 90 2A | 0 | Gary Kessler |
Extension
.img
MIME Type
application/octet-stream
Byte Offset
0
Risk Level
Safe
Validation Code
How to validate .img files in Python
def is_img(file_path: str) -> bool:
"""Check if file is a valid IMG by magic bytes."""
signature = bytes([0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x08, 0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01])
with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
return f.read(9) == signatureHow to validate .img files in Node.js
function isIMG(buffer: Buffer): boolean {
const signature = Buffer.from([0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x08, 0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01]);
return buffer.subarray(0, 9).equals(signature);
}How to validate .img files in Go
func IsIMG(data []byte) bool {
signature := []byte{0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x08, 0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01}
if len(data) < 9 {
return false
}
return bytes.Equal(data[:9], signature)
}API Endpoint
/api/v1/img
curl https://filesignature.org/api/v1/img
See the full API documentation for all endpoints and parameters.
Related Formats
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a .img file?
A .img file is a Ventura Publisher/GEM VDI Image Format Bitmap file file. The IMG format is a bitmap image file used by Ventura Publisher and the GEM VDI graphics subsystem, originally developed in the late 1980s by Xerox Ventura and Digital Research. It was used for storing simple raster images in desktop publishing and GEM-based applications. The format is legacy and largely obsolete; files are generally safe to open, though support is limited in modern software.
What are the magic bytes for .img files?
The magic bytes for Ventura Publisher/GEM VDI Image Format Bitmap file files are 00 01 00 08 00 01 00 01 01 at byte offset 0. These bytes uniquely identify the file format regardless of the file extension.
How do I validate a .img file?
To validate a .img file, read the first bytes of the file and compare them against the known magic bytes (00 01 00 08 00 01 00 01 01) at offset 0. This is more reliable than checking the file extension alone, as extensions can be renamed.
What is the MIME type for .img files?
There is no officially registered MIME type for .img files. Systems typically use application/octet-stream as a generic fallback when handling this format.
Is it safe to open .img files?
Ventura Publisher/GEM VDI Image Format Bitmap file (.img) 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.