Image MIME Reference
MacPaint
MacPaint Image
image/x-macpaint
VS
Extended Image File Format
image/vnd.xiff
XIFF
A complete technical comparison of MacPaint Image and Extended Image File Format — covering compression, feature support, browser compatibility, magic bytes, and when to choose each format.
Equal browser support
Feature Support
| Feature | MacPaint | XIFF |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency (Alpha) | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| Animation Support | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| Progressive Loading | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| HDR Support | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| EXIF Metadata | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| ICC Color Profile | ✕ No | ✕ No |
MacPaint Image
image/x-macpaint
Extension
.mac.pntg.pnt.macp
Container
Raw pixel payload with a 512-byte pattern header
Compression
PackBits (Run-Length Encoding)
Algorithm
PackBits (Apple RLE)
Color Depth
1-bit (Monochrome)
Developed by
Apple Computer, Inc. (Bill Atkinson)
Released
1984
Magic Bytes
None (Relies on classic Mac OS 'PNTG' OSType)
Extended Image File Format
image/vnd.xiff
Extension
.xif
Container
TIFF-based Proprietary Container
Compression
CCITT Group 3 / Group 4 / LZW / Uncompressed
Algorithm
CCITT Group 4LZWNone
Color Depth
1-bit (Monochrome), 8-bit (Grayscale), 24-bit (RGB)
Developed by
Keyfile Corporation
Released
1994
Magic Bytes
49 49 2A 00 or 4D 4D 00 2A
Browser Support Comparison
| Browser | MacPaint | XIFF |
|---|---|---|
Chrome
|
✕ | ✕ |
Firefox
|
✕ | ✕ |
Safari
|
✕ | ✕ |
Edge
|
✕ | ✕ |
IE (Legacy)
|
✕ | ✕ |
MacPaint
MacPaint Strengths
- Profoundly historically significant as the format that introduced millions to the concept of bitmap digital painting
- Extremely simple PackBits compression makes it easy for emulator developers or archivists to write parsers from scratch in under an hour
Limitations
- Severely limited: strictly black and white, and hard-locked to exactly 576 x 720 pixels
- Lack of standard magic bytes makes programmatic file sniffing unreliable on modern filesystems without relying on the file extension
- Completely obsolete and unsupported by modern web browsers or consumer image viewers
XIFF
XIFF Strengths
- Pioneered early enterprise document workflow integration by binding administrative routing data directly to the document image file
- Leveraged efficient fax compression standards to keep storage requirements low on 1990s server infrastructure
Limitations
- Completely proprietary and obsolete; Keyfile Corporation's software ecosystem no longer exists
- Causes widespread MIME type identification conflicts due to sharing the exact same binary header signature as standard TIFF files
- Zero support in modern operating systems or web browsers
When to choose which format
MacPaint
Use MacPaint when…
- Historical Apple Macintosh Archival
- Early 1980s Digital Art Preservation
- Retro UI/UX Academic Research
XIFF
Use XIFF when…
- Keyfile Enterprise Document Management
- Legacy Corporate Workflow Archival
- Scanned Multi-page Document Routing