Audio
What is a .mp3 file?
An .mp3 is a compressed audio file — the format that made digital music portable. Everything plays it.
How to open a .mp3 file
- WindowsMedia Player
- WindowsVLC
- MacMusic
- MacVLC
- Phone or tabletAny music app
How to convert a .mp3 file
- Audacity converts to .wav for editing; VLC handles most other formats.
MIME type
When a .mp3 file travels over the web, servers label it with this MIME type:
audio/mpegThe technical record
For archivists, developers and the merely curious: these are the PRONOM registry entries for .mp3.
| Format name | Version | MIME type | PUID |
|---|---|---|---|
| MPEG 1/2 Audio Layer 3 | — | audio/mpeg | fmt/134 |