What’s MHTML?

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MHTML is short for “MIME HTML”, which is a file format that combines a web page and all of its resources. Most web browsers, by default, save web pages as multiple files, usually a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file and an associated resource folder, which might include images, music, or other data. MHTML puts all of this information into a file, also called an HTML archive, which is often easier to manage.

One task for which MHTML can be very useful is sending web pages via email, as it can allow an email client to view a web page in its entirety without actually being on the site. The archive format also provides an easy way to view a web page without being online at all. Despite these capabilities, MHTML is subject to some of the same limitations as the more verbose HTML plus resource folder method of saving web pages. HTML archives do not update automatically when a web page is updated online. Files are static entities, providing a snapshot of a page at a particular point in time.

MHTML files can be viewed in a text editor just like plain HTML files. Images and assets that don’t have a text representation are not preserved in the text editor and are displayed as strings of random letters and numbers. The page’s source code, as well as the style sheet that governs the layout of the page, is easily visible. Viewing an HTML archive as text does not affect the display of the web page when the archive is viewed in a browser.

The web page displayed by an MHTML file is not always an exact replica of the page as it originally appeared online. Converting to archive format might cause minor style sheet problems, which in turn would cause layout differences between the saved page and the version that appears online. These edits are usually minor, and incorrect margins around images are common. Major layout problems are rare. In general, HTML archives are robust and reliable ways to condense web pages.

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