Mime types tell browsers how to handle certain extensions. For example, the text/html mime type equates to .htm, .html, and .shtml extensions on most servers, and this tells your browser to interpret all files with those extensions as HTML files.

You can alter or add new mime types for your site, keep in mind that you can’t alter the system defined mime types. MIME types are often used to handle new technologies as they appear. When WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) technology first appeared no one had these extensions set up on their server. With mime types, however, you could have set it up yourself and begun serving WAP pages immediately.

Adding and removing MIME types is fairly quick and easy, just click on the icon above the words Mime Types on the main screen of your cPanel. Enter the mime type in the blank field under Mime Type, enter the extensions to associate with the mime type in the blank field then click on Add. If you wish to remove it go back into the Mime Types Menu from your cPanel interface, choose the mime type you with to remove and click on Delete.

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