What is the MPF file format?
The .mpf format is a Microsoft Media Package File, a proprietary compressed container used by Microsoft Clip Organizer (included with Office XP through Office 2013) to distribute clip art collections. When imported, the package adds images, keyword tags, and category metadata directly to the user's local clip art library.
Internally, .mpf packages bundle WMF or EMF vector clip art images alongside raster preview thumbnails and descriptive keyword metadata. The container replaced the older .cil format from Microsoft Clip Gallery 5.0, offering improved compression and richer metadata. Packages were originally distributed through the Microsoft Design Gallery (office.microsoft.com), which was retired on December 1, 2014.
Because Microsoft removed Clip Organizer entirely from Office 2016 and discontinued the online clip art service, no mainstream software creates .mpf files today. Legacy packages can sometimes be explored with archive utilities such as 7-Zip, since the container may be ZIP-based internally, though the internal structure is not publicly documented. The format is effectively obsolete - Microsoft now directs users to Bing Image Search for stock imagery.
Note: MADRIX lighting-control software also uses the .mpf extension for a completely unrelated patch file format.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWMPF files are passive compressed data containers for clip art images. No known code-execution risk inherent to the format itself.
Format details
in a nutshell- MADRIX Patch File - MADRIX (Windows LED/lighting control software) uses .mpf for patch/fixture layout files - completely unrelated to Microsoft clip art.
- MainActor Video Project - MainActor (discontinued video editing software for Linux) used .mpf for project settings files.
Programs that open MPF files
Windows2 apps
7-Zip
Open-source Try right-click → Open archive. If the package is ZIP-based internally, 7-Zip may extract the embedded images. Not guaranteed for all .mpf files. 
Microsoft Clip Organizer (Office 2002-2013)
Paid Double-click the .mpf file to import into Clip Organizer (only available if Office 2002-2013 is installed; removed from Office 2016+). Technical details
deep spec| Container type | Proprietary compressed package (internal structure not publicly documented) |
| Replaces | `.cil` format from Microsoft Clip Gallery 5.0 |
| Internal content | WMF/EMF vector clip art images, raster preview thumbnails, keyword tags, and category metadata |
| Compression | Compressed (specific algorithm not publicly documented) |
| Encoding | Binary |
| Typical file size | 100 KB - 50 MB |
| Embedded image types | WMF and EMF (vector); JPEG and PNG (raster previews) |
| Platform | Windows only |
| Import target | Microsoft Clip Organizer (Office 2002-2013) |
| Distribution channel | Microsoft Design Gallery (office.microsoft.com), retired December 1, 2014 |
| Status | Discontinued - Clip Organizer removed in Office 2016; no mainstream software creates or imports .mpf files |
| Magic bytes | None documented; identification by extension and context only |
| MIME type | application/octet-stream |
| Released | 2002 (Microsoft Clip Organizer, Office XP/2002) |
| Latest version | circa Office 2013 (format discontinued with Clip Organizer) |
MPF conversions
Community Q&A
asked by usersNo questions yet - be the first to ask about MPF files.
