Free sample files for testing and development
A library of valid sample test files for developers and testers: 39 formats, from PDF and DOCX to JSON, JPG, MP4 and ZIP, each built to an exact byte count and published with a checksum. Use them wherever you need a dummy or example file.
How it works
Find a file
Search above, or pick a format and a size. Sizes run from 1 KB to 10 MB.
Check what it is
Each file has its own page with the exact size in bytes, MIME type, SHA-256 checksum and a description of what is inside. Preview shows the file in your browser, so you can look before you download.
Download
One green button starts a direct download from this site. There is no account, no email form, no countdown and no redirect.
Browse by file size
Sizes are exact binary multiples, so the 1 MB files are 1,048,576 bytes. Each size page lists every format available at that size and the real-world limits it is useful for testing.
Browse by category
Good files to start with
The sizes that match the most common upload limits, in the formats most applications accept.
| File | Format | Size | Contents | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 MB PDF samplesample-pdf-1mb.pdf | 1 MB1,048,576 bytes | Pages: 10 | Download PDF | |
| 10 MB PDF samplesample-pdf-10mb.pdf | 10 MB10,485,760 bytes | Pages: 13 | Download PDF | |
| 5 MB JPG samplesample-jpg-5mb.jpg | JPG | 5 MB5,242,880 bytes | 4,568 × 3,426 px | Download JPG |
| 1 MB PNG samplesample-png-1mb.png | PNG | 1 MB1,048,576 bytes | 677 × 515 px | Download PNG |
| 1 MB CSV samplesample-csv-1mb.csv | CSV | 1 MB1,048,576 bytes | Data rows: 7,885 | Download CSV |
| 1 MB JSON samplesample-json-1mb.json | JSON | 1 MB1,048,576 bytes | Records: 3,029 | Download JSON |
| 1 MB DOCX samplesample-docx-1mb.docx | DOCX | 1 MB1,048,576 bytes | Headings, paragraphs, a bulleted list, a table and one image | Download DOCX |
| 10 MB MP4 samplesample-mp4-10mb.mp4 | MP4 | 10 MB10,485,760 bytes | 640 × 360 px | Download MP4 |
| 10 MB ZIP samplesample-zip-10mb.zip | ZIP | 10 MB10,485,760 bytes | Entries: 4 | Download ZIP |
| 10 MB BIN samplesample-bin-10mb.bin | BIN | 10 MB10,485,760 bytes | Pseudo-random bytes | Download BIN |
What are you testing?
Each use case has a checklist and the files that fit it.
- File upload testing
Test an upload form or endpoint with files of every size and type it should accept, and several it should refuse.
- API testing
Payloads and attachments for testing REST endpoints that receive, return or transform files.
- QA testing
A ready-made set of ordinary and awkward files for exploratory testing and test plans.
- Automated testing
Small, deterministic fixtures for Playwright, Selenium, Cypress and unit tests.
- CI/CD pipelines
Fixtures for build, test and deployment pipelines, with checksums for verification.
- File parser testing
Well-formed files and deliberate edge cases for testing code that reads CSV, JSON, XML, PDF and more.
- Download testing
Files of exact size for testing download speed, range requests, resuming and integrity.
- Performance testing
Large, predictable inputs for measuring throughput, memory use and processing time.
- MIME type testing
Files with correct, documented signatures for testing type detection and upload allow-lists.
- File size testing
Files built to exact byte counts for testing limits precisely, including the boundary itself.
- Web development
Placeholder images, media, data and documents for building and demonstrating web interfaces.
- Mobile development
Files for testing uploads, downloads and previews in Android and iOS apps, including on slow networks.
- Software development
General-purpose fixtures for building, debugging and demonstrating software that reads or writes files.
Every file is documented
A sample file is only useful if you know exactly what it is. Each download page states the size in bytes, the MIME type, a SHA-256 checksum and what the file contains: pages, pixels, rows or seconds.
Every file is checked when it is generated: exact size, the signature bytes of its format, and that it parses. Format pages go further, with how the file is structured and the mistakes software commonly makes when reading it. This is the signature of a PDF file:
Why use sample files?
Testing with real documents is risky and imprecise. A file from your downloads folder may contain personal data, cannot be shared in a bug report, and has a size you only roughly know.
A purpose-built fixture has none of those problems. It is identical for everyone, safe to attach anywhere, and sized to land exactly on the limit you want to test. When an upload of a 1,048,576-byte file fails, you learn something precise about your stack.
Developer resources
Practical guides with commands and code you can run.
- How to test file upload: a complete checklist
A test plan for upload forms and endpoints, with the right sample file for every case.
- How to test file size limits
Where upload limits live, what the common defaults are, and how to test a boundary to the byte.
- How to test MIME types and file type validation
Extensions, Content-Type headers and magic bytes: how to check that type validation cannot be fooled.
- How to test file downloads
Completeness, integrity, speed, range requests and resume, each with a command you can run.
- How to create test files of any size
Commands for Linux, macOS and Windows that produce a file of an exact byte count, and when to use each.
- Building a QA test file kit
The files every tester should keep ready, organised into baseline, boundary and edge-case sets.
All guides and the developer reference, including direct URLs and the file manifest.
Common questions
- What are sample files?
- Sample files are ready-made files in a known format and size that you use in place of real documents when building or testing software. Because their properties are documented, you can tell at once whether your application handled them correctly.
- Why do developers use test files?
- To check upload forms, size limits, parsers, previews, converters and download paths without risking real data. A dependable set of fixtures also makes bugs reproducible: everyone tests with the same bytes.
- Are the files free?
- Yes. Every file is free to download and to use in personal and commercial projects. No attribution is required.
- Do I need an account?
- No. Downloads are direct links. There is no registration, no email form and no waiting period.
All frequently asked questions