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MPD (.mpd)

.mpd file signature | application/dash+xml

Media Presentation Description (MPD) is an XML-based manifest file defined by the MPEG-DASH standard and maintained by ISO/IEC Moving Picture Experts Group. It describes media segments, timing, representations, and adaptation sets for adaptive bitrate streaming in web players, streaming services, and media clients. MPD files are generally safe, though they may reference external resources and should be obtained from trusted sources to avoid misleading playback configurations.

Safe

Magic Bytes

Offset 0
3C 4D 50 44

Sources: Apache Tika

Extension

.mpd

MIME Type

application/dash+xml

Byte Offset

0

Risk Level

Safe

Validation Code

How to validate .mpd files in Python

Python 
def is_mpd(file_path: str) -> bool:
    """Check if file is a valid MPD by magic bytes."""
    signature = bytes([0x3C, 0x4D, 0x50, 0x44])
    with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
        return f.read(4) == signature

How to validate .mpd files in Node.js

Node.js 
function isMPD(buffer: Buffer): boolean {
  const signature = Buffer.from([0x3C, 0x4D, 0x50, 0x44]);
  return buffer.subarray(0, 4).equals(signature);
}

How to validate .mpd files in Go

Go 
func IsMPD(data []byte) bool {
    signature := []byte{0x3C, 0x4D, 0x50, 0x44}
    if len(data) < 4 {
        return false
    }
    return bytes.Equal(data[:4], signature)
}

API Endpoint

GET /api/v1/mpd
curl https://filesignature.org/api/v1/mpd

See the full API documentation for all endpoints and parameters.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a .mpd file?

A .mpd file is identified by the magic bytes 3C 4D 50 44 at byte offset 0. Media Presentation Description (MPD) is an XML-based manifest file defined by the MPEG-DASH standard and maintained by ISO/IEC Moving Picture Experts Group. It describes media segments, timing, representations, and adaptation sets for adaptive bitrate streaming in web players, streaming services, and media clients. MPD files are generally safe, though they may reference external resources and should be obtained from trusted sources to avoid misleading playback configurations.

What are the magic bytes for .mpd files?

The magic bytes for MPD files are 3C 4D 50 44 at byte offset 0. These bytes uniquely identify the file format regardless of the file extension.

How do I validate a .mpd file?

To validate a .mpd file, read the first bytes of the file and compare them against the known magic bytes (3C 4D 50 44) at offset 0. This is more reliable than checking the file extension alone, as extensions can be renamed.

What is the MIME type for .mpd files?

The primary MIME type for .mpd files is application/dash+xml.

Is it safe to open .mpd files?

MPD (.mpd) 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.