Supported File Types

You can upload file attachments in your course, such as to an assignment. Users select a link to open a file that appears in the course.

After you upload a file, you may be able to edit the link name to the file. This link title appears to users instead of the name of the document. For example, type "My Introduction" as the link title instead of the file name "introduction.doc."

Accepted characters in file names

Blackboard Learn allows the use of all characters in file names. However, a user's operating system and the browser may limit the types of characters accepted. For example, some browsers don't accept characters that are wider. Some browsers may not have the languages installed to display the special alphabetic characters specific to them.


Recognized attachment file types

The system recognizes several file types by default. These files open directly in the browser or an associated application. If the system 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 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 files are applications. Some network security policies and firewalls might prohibit users from downloading executable files.

If your institution uses a newer version of Blackboard Learn, you may not be able to upload files of this type. Contact your administrator for help.

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
MP4 Video Video player
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 Slideshow 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®
XLS, XLSX Spreadsheet Microsoft® Excel®
ZIP Compressed package WinZip®