What is a .mp2 file?
A .mp2 file is an MP3 audio. Its registered MIME type is audio/mpeg, which places it in the audio family of formats.
MP2 is a binary format: the contents are not readable text, so opening it in a text editor shows scrambled characters.
Files of this type usually begin with the bytes FF FA. That signature is how programs recognise the format even when the extension is wrong or missing.
The same format is also saved with the extensions .m2a, .m3a, .mp2a, .mp3, .mpga.
MP2 file format details
| Extension | .mp2 |
|---|---|
| Format | MP3 audio |
| MIME type | audio/mpeg, audio/mp2, audio/x-mp2 |
| Category | Audio |
| Text or binary | Binary |
| File signature | FF FA |
| Registered with IANA | Yes |
| Other extensions | .m2a, .m3a, .mp2a, .mp3, .mpga |
How to open MP2 files
| Windows | VLC media player is free and plays almost every audio and video format, MP2 included in most cases. Media Player and Films and TV handle the common ones. |
|---|---|
| Mac | QuickTime Player plays formats Apple supports. VLC or IINA play most others. |
| iPhone and iPad | The Files app plays formats Apple supports. VLC for iOS plays most others. |
| Android | Most gallery and music apps play common formats; VLC for Android plays almost everything. |
Convert MP2 files
TapToConvert converts MP2 files in your browser, without uploading them. Open the MP2 converter, or go straight to a conversion:
MP2 file FAQ
What is a .mp2 file?
A .mp2 file is an MP3 audio, with the MIME type audio/mpeg.
How do I open a .mp2 file?
VLC media player plays most audio and video formats on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android.
Is a .mp2 file safe to open?
MP2 files hold data rather than programs, but any file from an unknown source can be crafted to exploit the software that opens it. Keep that software up to date. The viewer on this page only reads the bytes and never runs anything.
What is the MIME type of .mp2?
audio/mpeg, and it is also seen as audio/mp2 or audio/x-mp2. Web servers send this type so browsers know how to handle the file.
Is MP2 a text or binary format?
Binary. Its contents are not readable as text.
File type facts come from the IANA media type registry, the mime-db project and the freedesktop.org shared MIME database.