File types & external devices that work on Chromebooks

Chromebooks can connect to the following peripherals:

• Adapters
• Docking stations
• Drawing tablets
• Ethernet dongles
• External storage (SD and USB hard drives, thumb drives, USB CD-ROM, and read-only DVD-ROM)
  • To remove a storage device safely, select Eject .
• Gaming controllers
• Headsets
• Huawei mobile dongle
• Keyboards (wired, wireless and bluetooth)
• Mice with left button, right button, and scroll wheel (wired, wireless and bluetooth)
• Microphones
• Monitors with DisplayPort, DVI, HDMI, USB-C, or VGA connections
• MP3 player or mobile phone with a USB cable
• Printers (Learn how to set up your printer)
• SD & microSD cards
• USB-C cables
• USI Stylus on USI-capable Chromebooks only
• Wall chargers
• Webcams

For best results, look for peripherals that are certified Works With Chromebook. These peripherals have been tested and proven to meet Chromebook compatibility standards, to ensure they work seamlessly with your Chromebook.

Container	Video codec	Audio codec
webm	VP8 VP9	Opus Vorbis
mp4	H264	--
mov	H264	--
--	DIVX	MP3
--	XVID	MP3
3gp	H264	AAC

You can access files on external devices connected to your Chromebook if they use the following types of filesystems:

• FAT (FAT16, FAT32, exFAT)
• HFS+ (read-only on journaled HFS+)
• ISO9660 (read-only)
• MTP
• NTFS
• UDF (read-only)

Chromebooks work with cloud file systems, like Google Drive, Box, or SMB. To connect to an SMB file share:

1. In the corner of your screen, select the Launcher .
2. Open Files .
3. In the top right, select More .
4. Select Add new service SMB Shares.
5. A window will open. Select Add File Share. Fill out your info.
6. Select Add.

To connect to other cloud file systems:

1. In the corner of your screen, select the Launcher .
2. Open Files .
3. In the top right, select More .
4. Select Install new service.
5. To install a new cloud file system, choose a system and follow the onscreen steps.

This error means that this file type isn't working on your Chromebook at this time.

Instead, try saving the file to Google Drive or another web application, then opening it in your browser.

Your Chromebook might not support the external storage device you're trying to use. Make sure your external storage device's format is supported.

If your storage device is supported, make sure your Chromebook is using the latest version of Chrome OS.

If your Chromebook is using the latest version, and no updates are available, try using Google Drive to view the files:

1. Plug your storage device into another computer.
2. Upload the files from the device to a cloud file system, such as Google Drive.
3. Open your Chromebook, then open Google Drive to view the files.

You'll need to reformat your external storage device before you can use it with your Chromebook. Follow the steps below.

Important: These steps will erase all your files stored on the storage device. Make sure to back them up somewhere else before erasing.

1. In the corner of your screen, select the Launcher .
2. Select Files .
3. On the left, select the external storage device.
4. In the window that appears, select Format.

Your USB-C cable doesn't support this connection. Replace your cable with a USB-C cable with a performance rating of SuperSpeed USB 5 Gbps or higher. Make sure it has one of these certified logos.

You can use the USB-C ports on your Chromebook to connect to other devices such as Thunderbolt 3 and USB4 devices, but the wrong cable can limit the device’s features and performance. For best results, switch to a higher performance cable.