How to open .MP files on Linux
To open .MP files on Linux, try opening the file from the originating application (File → Open/Import). If you do not know the app, use the file(1) command in a terminal to see if it can identify the content type.
Step-by-step instructions
- Try opening the file from the originating application (File → Open/Import). If you do not know the app, use the file(1) command in a terminal to see if it can identify the content type.
- If file(1) can’t identify it, consult the shared-mime-info concept: the desktop may not have a reliable MIME mapping for .mp because the extension is ambiguous; you’ll likely need the original software or documentation that produced the file.
Common issues
“Windows can’t open this file” / no associated app
Because .mp is used by multiple unrelated formats, the OS often cannot pick a correct default application.
- Confirm where the file came from (which app/site/device created it) and install or use that exact program to open/import it.
- Avoid guessing based only on the extension; if you must investigate, open a copy in a text editor to look for identifying strings or headers.
Mistaken identity as Musepack audio
Musepack is an audio codec, but its preferred extension is .mpc (and .mp+/.mpp are also seen). An .mp file is usually not Musepack purely based on extension conventions.
- Check whether you actually have a Musepack file; look for .mpc, .mp+, or .mpp naming instead of .mp.
- If the file is truly audio, use a tool that can identify codecs by file signature rather than extension; if it is not audio, locate the originating application.
Linux desktop opens the file with the wrong app (or none)
Linux desktop association relies on shared-mime-info mappings; ambiguous extensions like .mp may not map cleanly to a single MIME type and can be mis-associated.
- Use the file(1) command to identify the content if possible, then open it with the appropriate application.
- If it’s clearly a project/data file, open it from within the creating application instead of relying on double-click association.
Security note
Treat .mp as potentially untrusted input: because it can represent different proprietary or project/data formats, opening it in the wrong application may trigger parser bugs in that application.