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# fileType

The file type of the document.

```
var fileType: String? { get }
```

## Discussion

The file type is a uniform type identifier (UTI). UIKit derives the UTI from the filename-extension component of [`fileURL`](/documentation/UIKit/UIDocument/fileURL).

UIKit sets this property before it calls the completion handlers of the [`open(completionHandler:)`](/documentation/UIKit/UIDocument/open(completionHandler:)), [`save(to:for:completionHandler:)`](/documentation/UIKit/UIDocument/save(to:for:completionHandler:)), and [`revert(toContentsOf:completionHandler:)`](/documentation/UIKit/UIDocument/revert(toContentsOf:completionHandler:)). If, outside of these methods or their completion handlers, you want to wait for any pending file operations to complete before you access this property, you can call [`performAsynchronousFileAccess(_:)`](/documentation/UIKit/UIDocument/performAsynchronousFileAccess(_:)) and access the property value in the block parameter.

---

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