CAB
A Microsoft archive format designed to package and compress groups of files, commonly used by Windows installers, drivers, and software distribution systems.
General information
- Format name
- Microsoft Cabinet Archive
- Extension
.cab- MIME type
application/vnd.ms-cab-compressed- Category
- archive
- Data type
- Binary
- Developer
- Microsoft
File signatures
| Offset | Hexadecimal | ASCII | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 4D 53 43 46 | MSCF | Standard Microsoft Cabinet file signature. |
Common uses
Windows installers
Driver packages
Software distribution
Compressed system files
Update packages
Related formats
Technical resources
| Resource | Publisher | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft — About Cabinet Files | Microsoft | Open resource ↗ |
| Media Types Registry | IANA | Open resource ↗ |
Record information
- Verified
- October 4, 2026
- Last updated
- October 4, 2026