M3A (.m3a)
.m3a file signature | audio/mpeg
Magic Bytes
Offset 0
FF F2
Sources: Apache Tika
All Known Signatures
13 signature variants are documented for .m3a files across multiple sources.
| Hex Signature | Offset | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| FF F2 | 0 | Apache Tika |
| FF F3 | 0 | Apache Tika |
| FF F4 | 0 | Apache Tika |
| FF F5 | 0 | Apache Tika |
| FF F6 | 0 | Apache Tika |
| FF F7 | 0 | Apache Tika |
| FF FA | 0 | Apache Tika |
| FF FB | 0 | Apache Tika |
| FF FC | 0 | Apache Tika |
| FF FD | 0 | Apache Tika |
| FF E3 | 0 | Apache Tika |
| FF FF | 0 | Apache Tika |
| 49 44 33 | 0 | Apache Tika |
Extension
.m3a
MIME Type
audio/mpeg
Byte Offset
0
Risk Level
Safe
Validation Code
How to validate .m3a files in Python
def is_m3a(file_path: str) -> bool:
"""Check if file is a valid M3A by magic bytes."""
signature = bytes([0xFF, 0xF2])
with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
return f.read(2) == signature
How to validate .m3a files in Node.js
function isM3A(buffer: Buffer): boolean {
const signature = Buffer.from([0xFF, 0xF2]);
return buffer.subarray(0, 2).equals(signature);
}
How to validate .m3a files in Go
func IsM3A(data []byte) bool {
signature := []byte{0xFF, 0xF2}
if len(data) < 2 {
return false
}
return bytes.Equal(data[:2], signature)
}
API Endpoint
/api/v1/m3a
curl https://filesignature.org/api/v1/m3a
See the full API documentation for all endpoints and parameters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a .m3a file?
A .m3a file is a M3A file.
What are the magic bytes for .m3a files?
The magic bytes for M3A files are FF F2 at byte offset 0. These bytes uniquely identify the file format regardless of the file extension.
How do I validate a .m3a file?
To validate a .m3a file, read the first bytes of the file and compare them against the known magic bytes (FF F2) at offset 0. This is more reliable than checking the file extension alone, as extensions can be renamed.
What is the MIME type for .m3a files?
The primary MIME type for .m3a files is audio/mpeg.
Is it safe to open .m3a files?
M3A (.m3a) 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.