---
type: lookup
id: exe-4d-5a
asset: file-format-signatures
title: "4D 5A — File format magic numbers"
sources:
  - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_file_signatures
source_quote: "MZ | 0 | exe dll mui sys scr cpl ocx ax iec ime rs tsp fon efi | <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DOS_MZ_executable> DOS MZ executable and its descendants (including <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Executable> NE and <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_Executable> PE )"
generated: true
verified: false
harvested: 2026-08-03
stale_after: 2027-08-03
hex_signature: "4D 5A"
offset: "0"
extension: "exe"
format: "DOS MZ executable"
unverified_fields: hex_signature
---
**Hex signature:** 4D 5A

**Offset:** 0

**Extension:** exe

**Format:** DOS MZ executable

> MZ | 0 | exe dll mui sys scr cpl ocx ax iec ime rs tsp fon efi | <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DOS_MZ_executable> DOS MZ executable and its descendants (including <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Executable> NE and <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_Executable> PE )

Source: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_file_signatures>