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PCT (.pct)

.pct file signature | image/x-pict

PCT is a Macintosh Picture (PICT) image format developed by Apple for storing graphics on classic Mac systems. It was used for screen images, simple illustrations, and desktop publishing workflows, and it was commonly supported by graphics editors and page layout applications. The format is now legacy and largely obsolete, and while generally safe, older files may not be supported by modern software.

Safe

Magic Bytes

Offset 522
00 11 02 FF 0C 00

Sources: Apache Tika

Extension

.pct

MIME Type

image/x-pict

Byte Offset

522

Risk Level

Safe

Validation Code

How to validate .pct files in Python

Python 
def is_pct(file_path: str) -> bool:
    """Check if file is a valid PCT by magic bytes at offset 522."""
    signature = bytes([0x00, 0x11, 0x02, 0xFF, 0x0C, 0x00])
    with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
        f.seek(522)
        return f.read(6) == signature

How to validate .pct files in Node.js

Node.js 
function isPCT(buffer: Buffer): boolean {
  const signature = Buffer.from([0x00, 0x11, 0x02, 0xFF, 0x0C, 0x00]);
  if (buffer.length < 528) return false;
  return buffer.subarray(522, 528).equals(signature);
}

How to validate .pct files in Go

Go 
func IsPCT(data []byte) bool {
    signature := []byte{0x00, 0x11, 0x02, 0xFF, 0x0C, 0x00}
    if len(data) < 528 {
        return false
    }
    return bytes.Equal(data[522:528], signature)
}

API Endpoint

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

See the full API documentation for all endpoints and parameters.

Related Formats

.pic .pict

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a .pct file?

A .pct file is identified by the magic bytes 00 11 02 FF 0C 00 at byte offset 522. PCT is a Macintosh Picture (PICT) image format developed by Apple for storing graphics on classic Mac systems. It was used for screen images, simple illustrations, and desktop publishing workflows, and it was commonly supported by graphics editors and page layout applications. The format is now legacy and largely obsolete, and while generally safe, older files may not be supported by modern software.

What are the magic bytes for .pct files?

The magic bytes for PCT files are 00 11 02 FF 0C 00 at byte offset 522. These bytes uniquely identify the file format regardless of the file extension.

How do I validate a .pct file?

To validate a .pct file, read the first bytes of the file and compare them against the known magic bytes (00 11 02 FF 0C 00) at offset 522. This is more reliable than checking the file extension alone, as extensions can be renamed.

What is the MIME type for .pct files?

The primary MIME type for .pct files is image/x-pict.

Is it safe to open .pct files?

PCT (.pct) 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.