Blackboard does not natively support any specific file types. Blackboard relies on external programs to open and view any files you may find on the system. What this means is that if you are trying to open a Microsoft Word document in Blackboard, you must have Word already installed on your computer before you will be able to view the file.
Listed below are some common file types used in Blackboard, along with the name of the program needed to view the file. Please be aware that this is not a comprehensive list, additional programs beyond those listed here may be required to view all the files in a Blackboard site.
Common Blackboard File Types
| File Extension | Program Required |
| .rtf | Any common word processing program |
| .doc | Microsoft Word (Pre-Office 2007) |
| .ppt | Microsoft PowerPoint (Pre-Office 2007) or MS PowerPoint Viewer |
| .xls | Microsoft Excel (Pre-Office 2007) |
| .docx | Microsoft Word 2007 |
| .pptx | Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 or MS PowerPoint Viewer |
| .xlsx | Microsoft Excel 2007 |
| .txt | Notepad or any word processing program |
| .rm or .ram | RealPlayer |
| .mov | Quicktime |
| Acrobat Reader |
