ChromeBooks were “born for the web”. That means, there are limitations to what type of files and file systems it can handle. But, Chrome OS has linux beating inside, and it can handle a lot of stuff.

So, what type of files and file systems are supported ? Check this list whenever you get the “Unsupported Format” error on a while or an external storage device.

Supported file types

The following file formats are supported on Chrome devices:

• Microsoft Office files (read-only): .doc, .docx, .ppt, .pptx, .xls, .xlsx
• Media: .mp4, .m4v, .m4a, .mp3, .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 external storage devices

You can open and save files on external devices connected to your Chrome device, 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 Chrome device. If a peripheral doesn’t work with your Chrome device, it may not be supported at this time.

• USB keyboards (Windows and Mac)
• USB mice with the following features: left button, right button, scrollwheel
• 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)

via Chrome OS Help Center