Supported file types and external devices

If you see the "Unknown file type" message when you try to open a file, that means the file format isn't supported on your Chromebook at this time.

As a workaround, try using a web application to view the file. For instance, you can upload most documents, presentations, and spreadsheets to Google Drive and view them in your browser.

Supported file types

The following file formats are supported on Chromebooks:

Microsoft Office files: .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt (read-only), .pptx (read-only). Learn more about viewing and editing Office documents.
Media: .3gp, .avi, .mov, .mp4, .m4v, .m4a, .mp3, .mkv, .ogv, .ogm, .ogg, .oga, .webm, .wav
Images: .bmp, .gif, .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .webp
Compressed files: .zip, .rar, .tar, .tar.gz (.tgz), .tar.bz2 (.tbz2)
Other: .txt, .pdf

Supported file types and codecs

Container	Video codec	Audio codec
ogv	Theora	--
webm	vp8	--
mp4	H264	--
	MPEG4	--
mov	MPEG4	--
	H264	--
avi	MPEG4	MP3
	DIVX	MP3
	XVID	MP3
3gp	H264	AAC
	MPEG4	AMR-NB

Supported external storage devices

You can open and save files on external devices connected to your Chromebook, if they use the following types of filesystems. To identify the filesystem for your external device, consult the help manual for your external device.

Ext2
Ext3
Ext4
FAT
HFS+ (read-only on journaled HFS+)
ISO9660 (read-only)
NTFS
UDF (read-only)

Supported external peripherals

Here are the types of peripherals you can use with your Chromebook. If a peripheral doesn't work with your Chromebook, it may not be supported at this time.

USB keyboards (Windows and Mac)
USB mice with the following features: left button, right button, scrollwheel
USB hubs
Bluetooth mice and keyboards
Monitors with DisplayPort, DVI, HDMI, or VGA connections
USB, DisplayPort, and HDMI audio devices
Headset with a 3.5 mm jack
Webcam with a USB cable
MP3 player or mobile phone with a USB cable (can be used for charging)

Discuss with other Chromies in Chromebook Central.