What Is a .psd File? .psd Format, MIME & How to Open

Quick facts

Extension.psd

File typePhotoshop Document

MIME typeimage/vnd.adobe.photoshop

CategoryImage

Charset—

CompressibleYes

Format familypsd

What is .psd

What is a .psd file?

A .psd file is a Photoshop Document — Adobe Photoshop layered image document.

In the mime-db registry it maps to image/vnd.adobe.photoshop, and it is marked as compressible. When serving .psd over HTTP, set the Content-Type header as shown in Developer info below.

Related entities: it maps to image/vnd.adobe.photoshop — and is delivered over HTTP via the Content-Type header.

How to open .psd files

Use Photoshop or GIMP to open and edit .psd files.
Any text editor (Notepad, VS Code) can inspect the raw content as text.

Developer info

When served over HTTP, responses should set the following header:

Content-Type: image/vnd.adobe.photoshop

Common software that reads/writes .psd:

PhotoshopGIMPPhotopea

Relation chain

.psdextension of

format

psdserved as

mime type

image/vnd.adobe.photoshopsent via header

http header

Related extensions

Related MIME types

image/vnd.adobe.photoshop

.psd

Common uses

Web graphics and photos
Design assets and icons
Print and photography

How to edit .psd files

Open the file with Photoshop, make your changes and save.
Most editors preserve the original formatting and encoding — avoid changing the charset.

How to create .psd files

Create a new file and save it with the .psd extension, or export this format from Photoshop.

Frequently asked questions

What programs can open .psd files?

Common options include Photoshop, GIMP, Photopea. You can also open many of these files with built-in viewers or a browser.

How do I create a .psd file?

Create a new file in any text editor or the app that owns the format and save it with the .psd extension.

What is the relationship between .psd and the image/vnd.adobe.photoshop MIME type?

image/vnd.adobe.photoshop is the media type identifier used for .psd files during network transfer (for example in the HTTP Content-Type header).

Sources & standards

Updated 2026-09-13

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