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Editorial Team
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Asked: 2026-06-08T07:09:08+00:00

I am trying to make an app that will receive media files from the

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I am trying to make an app that will receive media files from the Mail app by using Long Press > Open in “My app”

I am having trouble associating the files types I want with my app. I am using the Uniform Type Identifiers Reference

This is what my info.plist looks like:

<key>CFBundleDocumentTypes</key>
<array>
    <dict>
        <key>CFBundleTypeExtensions</key>
        <array>
            <string>mp3</string>
        </array>
        <key>CFBundleTypeName</key>
        <string>MP3 Audio</string>
        <key>CFBundleTypeRole</key>
        <string>Viewer</string>
        <key>LSHandlerRank</key>
        <string>Alternate</string>
        <key>LSItemContentTypes</key>
        <array>
            <string>public.mp3</string>
        </array>
        <key>LSTypeIsPackage</key>
        <false/>
    </dict>
    <dict>
        <key>CFBundleTypeExtensions</key>
        <array>
            <string>avi</string>
        </array>
        <key>CFBundleTypeName</key>
        <string>AVI movie</string>
        <key>LSHandlerRank</key>
        <string>Alternate</string>
        <key>CFBundleTypeRole</key>
        <string>Viewer</string>
        <key>LSItemContentTypes</key>
        <array>
            <string>public.avi</string>
            <string>video/x-msvideo</string>
        </array>
        <key>LSTypeIsPackage</key>
        <false/>
    </dict>
    <dict>
        <key>CFBundleTypeExtensions</key>
        <array>
            <string>3gp</string>
        </array>
        <key>CFBundleTypeName</key>
        <string>3GPP movie</string>
        <key>LSHandlerRank</key>
        <string>Alternate</string>
        <key>CFBundleTypeRole</key>
        <string>Viewer</string>
        <key>LSItemContentTypes</key>
        <array>
            <string>public.3gpp</string>
            <string>application/octet-stream</string>
        </array>
        <key>LSTypeIsPackage</key>
        <false/>
    </dict>
    <dict>
        <key>CFBundleTypeExtensions</key>
        <array>
            <string>mpg4</string>
            <string>mp4</string>
            <string>m4v</string>
        </array>
        <key>CFBundleTypeName</key>
        <string>MPEG-4 content</string>
        <key>LSHandlerRank</key>
        <string>Alternate</string>
        <key>CFBundleTypeRole</key>
        <string>Viewer</string>
        <key>LSItemContentTypes</key>
        <array>
            <string>public.mpeg-4</string>
            <string>video/mp4</string>
            <string>video/mp4v</string>
        </array>
        <key>LSTypeIsPackage</key>
        <false/>
    </dict>
    <dict>
        <key>CFBundleTypeExtensions</key>
        <array>
            <string>mov</string>
        </array>
        <key>CFBundleTypeName</key>
        <string>QuickTime movie</string>
        <key>LSHandlerRank</key>
        <string>Alternate</string>
        <key>CFBundleTypeRole</key>
        <string>Viewer</string>
        <key>LSItemContentTypes</key>
        <array>
            <string>com.apple.quicktime-movie</string>
            <string>video/quicktime</string>
        </array>
        <key>LSTypeIsPackage</key>
        <false/>
    </dict>
</array>

Out of these, only Mp3 and AVI show the Open In “My app” option. I just get the “Save Video” option that adds the videos to my camera roll. What am I doing wrong?

The formats I want to associate are: AVI, 3GP, MP4, M4V, MOV.

I have also tried this. It works for MP3, WAV, AVI, FLV but still no go for 3GP, MP4, MOV, M4V

<key>CFBundleDocumentTypes</key>
<array>
    <dict>
        <key>CFBundleTypeName</key>
        <string>Audio</string>
        <key>CFBundleTypeRole</key>
        <string>Editor</string>
        <key>LSItemContentTypes</key>
        <array>
            <string>public.audio</string>
        </array>
    </dict>
    <dict>
        <key>CFBundleTypeName</key>
        <string>Video</string>
        <key>CFBundleTypeRole</key>
        <string>Editor</string>
        <key>LSItemContentTypes</key>
        <array>
            <string>public.movie</string>
        </array>
    </dict>
</array>
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1 Answer

  1. Editorial Team

    I have installed other apps (e.g TeamViewer, oPlayer etc) that also support Document importing.. They too dont show up in the “Open As ..” Action Sheet for the Mail app for MOV, 3GP, M4V etc.

    I am guessing that apple doesnt allow some files to be opened by 3rd party apps and wants them handled internally. So all the user can do is save them to the Camera Roll.

    The only options that remains is to add functionality to our apps to allow selecting videos from the camera roll. So, Mail > Save Video > Camera Roll > 3rd Party App

    What a bummer.

    My Final entries in Info.plist

    <key>CFBundleDocumentTypes</key>
<array>
    <dict>
        <key>CFBundleTypeName</key>
        <string>Audio</string>
        <key>CFBundleTypeRole</key>
        <string>Viewer</string>
        <key>LSHandlerRank</key>
        <string>Alternate</string>
        <key>LSItemContentTypes</key>
        <array>
            <string>public.audio</string>
        </array>
    </dict>
    <dict>
        <key>CFBundleTypeName</key>
        <string>Video</string>
        <key>CFBundleTypeRole</key>
        <string>Viewer</string>
        <key>LSHandlerRank</key>
        <string>Alternate</string>
        <key>LSItemContentTypes</key>
        <array>
            <string>public.3gpp</string>
            <string>public.3gpp2</string>
            <string>public.mpeg-4</string>
            <string>public.avi</string>
            <string>com.apple.quicktime-movie</string>
            <string>public.mpeg</string>
            <string>public.movie</string>
        </array>
    </dict>
</array>

    I am still hoping there is some way around this.. anyone?

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