SWM (.swm)
.swm file signature | application/octet-stream
Split Windows Imaging Format (SWM) is a file format created and maintained by Microsoft as part of the Windows Imaging Format ecosystem. It is used to store segmented Windows disk images, commonly for operating system deployment, recovery media, and archival of large images across multiple files. The format is generally safe, though as with any image file, it should be obtained from trusted sources because it can contain data used in system installation and recovery.
Magic Bytes
Offset 0
4D 53 57 49 4D 00 00 00
Sources: Wikipedia
All Known Signatures
2 signature variants are documented for .swm files across multiple sources.
Extension
.swm
MIME Type
application/octet-stream
Byte Offset
0
Risk Level
Safe
Validation Code
How to validate .swm files in Python
def is_swm(file_path: str) -> bool:
"""Check if file is a valid SWM by magic bytes."""
signature = bytes([0x4D, 0x53, 0x57, 0x49, 0x4D, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00])
with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
return f.read(8) == signatureHow to validate .swm files in Node.js
function isSWM(buffer: Buffer): boolean {
const signature = Buffer.from([0x4D, 0x53, 0x57, 0x49, 0x4D, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00]);
return buffer.subarray(0, 8).equals(signature);
}How to validate .swm files in Go
func IsSWM(data []byte) bool {
signature := []byte{0x4D, 0x53, 0x57, 0x49, 0x4D, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00}
if len(data) < 8 {
return false
}
return bytes.Equal(data[:8], signature)
}API Endpoint
/api/v1/swm
curl https://filesignature.org/api/v1/swm
See the full API documentation for all endpoints and parameters.
Related Formats
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a .swm file?
A .swm file is identified by the magic bytes 4D 53 57 49 4D 00 00 00 at byte offset 0. Split Windows Imaging Format (SWM) is a file format created and maintained by Microsoft as part of the Windows Imaging Format ecosystem. It is used to store segmented Windows disk images, commonly for operating system deployment, recovery media, and archival of large images across multiple files. The format is generally safe, though as with any image file, it should be obtained from trusted sources because it can contain data used in system installation and recovery.
What are the magic bytes for .swm files?
The magic bytes for SWM files are 4D 53 57 49 4D 00 00 00 at byte offset 0. These bytes uniquely identify the file format regardless of the file extension.
How do I validate a .swm file?
To validate a .swm file, read the first bytes of the file and compare them against the known magic bytes (4D 53 57 49 4D 00 00 00) at offset 0. This is more reliable than checking the file extension alone, as extensions can be renamed.
What is the MIME type for .swm files?
There is no officially registered MIME type for .swm files. Systems typically use application/octet-stream as a generic fallback when handling this format.
Is it safe to open .swm files?
SWM (.swm) 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.