MXF file signature
Magic number at the start of the file
A Material Exchange Format file starts with the 14-byte partition pack key, a SMPTE Universal Label beginning 06 0E 2B 34. The spec allows a run-in before it, so identifiers scan the first bytes for this key rather than demanding offset zero.
What this magic number means
A magic number is a short, fixed run of bytes at a known position that tells a program what a file really is, no matter what the filename says. If a file starts with the bytes 06 0E 2B 34 02 05 01 01 0D 01 02 01 01 02, it is a MXF file.
The 06 0E 2B 34 prefix marks SMPTE Universal Labels in general; the bytes that follow identify the MXF partition pack specifically, and later bytes encode the operational pattern of the file.
Formats that use the 06 0E 2B 34 signature
These file types in our database carry this signature:
How to check a file's signature
You can read the first bytes of any file yourself. The magic bytes are shown in hex, the same way this page lists them.
Linux & macOS
- xxd -l 16 example.mxf
- hexdump -C -n 16 example.mxf
- file example.mxf
Windows (PowerShell)
- Format-Hex -Path example.mxf -Count 16
Python
- open("example.mxf","rb").read(14).hex()
In your browser
- Drop the file into the WhatFileType identifier, which reads the signature without uploading it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MXF file signature?
MXF files start with the hex bytes 06 0E 2B 34 02 05 01 01 0D 01 02 01 01 02. This magic number identifies the format regardless of the file's name or extension.
How do I check a file's magic number?
Open the file in a hex editor, or run a command such as xxd -l 16 example.mxf on Linux or macOS, or Format-Hex -Path example.mxf -Count 16 in Windows PowerShell, and read the first bytes.
Can a file fake the MXF signature?
Renaming a file does not change its bytes, so the extension can lie but the signature usually cannot. A genuine MXF file has these exact bytes; a file with the wrong bytes is not really MXF, whatever its name says.