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What is a .sib file?
A .sib file is a Sibelius. This one is a specialist format without an obvious everyday home. Confusingly, this extension has been used by 17 different formats over the years — they're all listed below.
This extension has been used by more than one format
17 different formats have claimed .sib over the years, so two files with the same extension aren't necessarily the same kind of thing.
- SibeliusNo version recorded · fmt/696
- Sibelius ScoreVersion 1.2 · fmt/1978
- Sibelius ScoreVersion 2 · fmt/1979
- Sibelius ScoreVersion 3 · fmt/1980
- Sibelius ScoreVersion 4 · fmt/1981
- Sibelius ScoreVersion 5 · fmt/1982
- Sibelius ScoreVersion 6 · fmt/1983
- Sibelius ScoreVersion 7 · fmt/1984
- Sibelius ScoreVersion 7.5-8.0 · fmt/1985
- Sibelius ScoreVersion 8.1-8.5 · fmt/1986
- Sibelius ScoreVersion 8.6-2019.12 · fmt/1987
- Sibelius ScoreVersion 2020.1 · fmt/1988
- Sibelius ScoreVersion 2020.3-2022.5 · fmt/1989
- Sibelius ScoreVersion 2022.7-2022.11 · fmt/1990
- Sibelius ScoreVersion 2022.12-2023.3 · fmt/1991
- Sibelius ScoreVersion 2023.5-2023.8 · fmt/1992
- Sibelius ScoreVersion 2024 · fmt/1993
How to open a .sib file
- The program that created it is by far the most reliable way to open it.
- On Windows, use a hex viewer or the free TrID tool to identify what the file really is.
- On Mac or Linux, running `file yourfile` in the terminal identifies most formats instantly.
The registry records this extension against Sibelius, Sibelius Score, Sibelius Score and others, so software from that family is the most likely match.
How to convert a .sib file
- Identify the file first, then look for an export or Save As option in whatever program can read it.
MIME type
When a .sib file travels over the web, servers label it with this MIME type:
application/x-sibelius-scoreThe technical record
For archivists, developers and the merely curious: these are the PRONOM registry entries for .sib.
| Format name | Version | MIME type | PUID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sibelius | — | — | fmt/696 |
| Sibelius Score | 1.2 | application/x-sibelius-score | fmt/1978 |
| Sibelius Score | 2 | application/x-sibelius-score | fmt/1979 |
| Sibelius Score | 3 | application/x-sibelius-score | fmt/1980 |
| Sibelius Score | 4 | application/x-sibelius-score | fmt/1981 |
| Sibelius Score | 5 | application/x-sibelius-score | fmt/1982 |
| Sibelius Score | 6 | application/x-sibelius-score | fmt/1983 |
| Sibelius Score | 7 | application/x-sibelius-score | fmt/1984 |
| Sibelius Score | 7.5-8.0 | application/x-sibelius-score | fmt/1985 |
| Sibelius Score | 8.1-8.5 | application/x-sibelius-score | fmt/1986 |
| Sibelius Score | 8.6-2019.12 | application/x-sibelius-score | fmt/1987 |
| Sibelius Score | 2020.1 | application/x-sibelius-score | fmt/1988 |
| Sibelius Score | 2020.3-2022.5 | application/x-sibelius-score | fmt/1989 |
| Sibelius Score | 2022.7-2022.11 | application/x-sibelius-score | fmt/1990 |
| Sibelius Score | 2022.12-2023.3 | application/x-sibelius-score | fmt/1991 |
| Sibelius Score | 2023.5-2023.8 | application/x-sibelius-score | fmt/1992 |
| Sibelius Score | 2024 | application/x-sibelius-score | fmt/1993 |