application/pdf
The MIME type declared when serving PDFs over HTTP or attaching them to email. Looking for how to open or handle a PDF itself? Jump to the .pdf reference page.
Typical extensions
Primary uses
- Returning `Content-Type: application/pdf` from an HTTP response makes browsers render the file in their built-in viewer.
- Most email clients use this MIME type to pick the PDF icon and enable inline preview.
In a browser
Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari all ship with an inline PDF viewer. Send `Content-Disposition: attachment` to force a download instead.
On a server
Nginx and Apache auto-map `.pdf` to `application/pdf`. Pair a correct `Content-Length` with `Accept-Ranges: bytes` to enable fast partial downloads.
In email
Virtually every mail client recognizes `application/pdf` and shows a preview or a PDF icon.