Blackboard Learn recognizes several file types by default. These files open directly in the browser or an associated installed application. If Blackboard Learn doesn't recognize the file type, users can download the attached file and open it on their computers.

Programs Associated with File Types
Extension File Type Programs Associated with the File Type
aam Multimedia Macromedia® Authorware® plug-in

The AAM file is the starting point for a series of files that must be enclosed in a ZIP file.
aiff Audio Audio program

AIFF is an uncompressed audio format. AIFF files tend to be large.
asf Multimedia Microsoft® .NET™ Show

ASF files can contain audio, video, images, and text.
au Audio Real Audio Player™
avi Video Video player (Windows only)
doc, docx Text Microsoft® Word - word processor
exe Executable Executable file.

Executable files are applications. Some network security policies and firewalls might prohibit users from downloading executable files.
gif Image Graphics program or web browser
html, htm Web page HTML editor or web browser
jpg, jpeg Image Graphics program or web browser
jif Image Graphics program or web browser
mp3 Audio Audio program
mpe Audio/Video Audio program
mpg, mpeg Video Video player
moov, movie Movie QuickTime® movie
mov Video Movie or media player
numbers Spreadsheet Apple Numbers®
pdf Text Adobe® Acrobat® Reader®
png Image Graphics editor or web browser
ppt, pptx, pps Slide show Microsoft® PowerPoint®, PowerPoint Player®
qt Movie QuickTime®
ra Audio Real Audio Player™
ram Video Real Audio Movie™
rm Audio Audio program
rtf Text Word processor
swf Multimedia Macromedia® Shockwave® plug-in
tiff, tif Image Graphics program or web browser
txt Text Text or HTML editor, word processor
wav Audio Audio program
wma Audio Audio program
wmf Graphic Microsoft® Windows®
wmv Media/Audio Microsoft® Windows®
wpd Text WordPerfect® or other word processor
xls, xlsx Spreadsheet Microsoft® Excel®
zip Compressed package WinZip®

Limit allowed file types

You can restrict users from uploading certain file types in Blackboard Learn.

  1. Open /usr/local/blackboard/config/internal/bb-file-filter-configuration.properties.
  2. Under # File types that cannot be uploaded, add the file types you'd like to disallow.
  3. Save the file and run PushConfigUpdates.

Beginning with the Q2 2017 release of Blackboard Learn, users aren't able to upload the following file types due to possible security risks:

  • exe
  • bat
  • msi
  • dll
  • sh
  • dmg

If you want to allow users to upload these file types, contact Blackboard Support through Behind the Blackboard.