What is a .ts file?
A .ts file is an MPEG-2 transport stream. Its registered MIME type is video/mp2t, which places it in the video family of formats.
MPEG-2 TS stands for Moving Picture Experts Group 2 Transport Stream.
TS 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 47. 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 .bdm, .bdmv, .clpi, .cpi, .m2t, .m2ts.
TS file format details
| Extension | .ts |
|---|---|
| Format | MPEG-2 transport stream |
| MIME type | video/mp2t, application/typescript, text/vnd.trolltech.linguist |
| Category | Video |
| Text or binary | Binary |
| File signature | 47 |
| Registered with IANA | Yes |
| Other extensions | .bdm, .bdmv, .clpi, .cpi, .m2t, .m2ts |
How to open TS files
| Windows | VLC media player is free and plays almost every audio and video format, TS 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 TS files
TapToConvert converts TS files in your browser, without uploading them. Open the TS converter, or go straight to a conversion:
TS file FAQ
What is a .ts file?
A .ts file is an MPEG-2 transport stream, with the MIME type video/mp2t.
How do I open a .ts file?
VLC media player plays most audio and video formats on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android.
Is a .ts file safe to open?
TS 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 .ts?
video/mp2t, and it is also seen as application/typescript or text/vnd.trolltech.linguist. Web servers send this type so browsers know how to handle the file.
Is TS 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.