Add a MIME Type (IIS 7)

Applies To: Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Vista

You should create MIME types to help clients handle new file name extensions appropriately. If IIS 7 does not recognize the file name extension requested by the client, IIS 7 sends the content as the default MIME type, which is Application. This MIME type signifies that the file contains application data, and usually means that clients cannot process the file.

Note

Adding a configuration setting adds the setting at the local level and to any child levels that inherit the setting.

Prerequisites

For information about the levels at which you can perform this procedure, and the modules, handlers, and permissions that are required to perform this procedure, see MIME Types Feature Requirements (IIS 7).

Exceptions to Feature Requirements

  • None

To add a MIME type

You can perform this procedure by using the user interface (UI), by running Appcmd.exe commands in a command-line window, by editing configuration files directly, or by writing WMI scripts.

User Interface

To use the UI

  1. Open IIS Manager and navigate to the level you want to manage. For information about opening IIS Manager, see Open IIS Manager (IIS 7). For information about navigating to locations in the UI, see Navigation in IIS Manager (IIS 7).

  2. In Features View, double-click MIME Types.

  3. In the Actions pane, click Add.

  4. In the Add MIME Type dialog box, type a file name extension in the File name extension text box. For example, type .xyz.

  5. Type a MIME type in the MIME type text box. For example, type application/octet-stream.

  6. Click OK.

Command Line

To add a MIME type, use the following syntax:

appcmd set config /section:staticContent /+"[fileExtension='string',mimeType='string']"

The variable fileExtension string is a file name extension. The variable mimeType string is a MIME type. For example, to create a MIME type, type the following at the command prompt, and then press ENTER:

appcmd set config /section:staticContent /+"[fileExtension='.xyz',mimeType='application/octet-stream']"

For more information about Appcmd.exe, see Appcmd.exe (IIS 7).

Configuration

The procedure in this topic affects the following configuration elements:

<mimeMap> under <staticContent>

For more information about IIS 7 configuration, see IIS 7.0: IIS Settings Schema on MSDN.

WMI

Use the following WMI classes, methods, or properties to perform this procedure:

  • StaticContentSection.Add method

For more information about WMI and IIS, see Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) in IIS 7. For more information about the classes, methods, or properties associated with this procedure, see the IIS WMI Provider Reference on the MSDN site.

See Also

Concepts

Configuring MIME Types in IIS 7