Supported Content & File Formats

What Showell supports & how it handles your files

Showell handles almost every file type you're likely to use:

• Documents, presentations & spreadsheets: Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Apple iWork, OpenDocument, plus plain text and Markdown
• Images & graphics: photos, camera RAW files and vector illustrations
• Video & audio
• 3D & augmented reality
• Links & Interactive tools: web pages, web apps and web links

The full list of extensions is further down this article.

Your files are converted for showcasing, and your original is always safe

When you upload a file, Showell automatically converts it to the best format for showing your content. Your original is never lost. You can download it at any time, and when you share content you decide whether to send the original or the converted version. See Share content as its original file type.

Room for even your biggest files

Showell supports files up to 5 GB, which is plenty for high-resolution images, presentations, videos and 3D models. The limit keeps every upload safe, including the malware scanning that runs on each file. Upload and processing speed can vary with your internet connection and how complex the file is.

Getting the best results (recommendations)

• Documents, presentations and spreadsheets are converted to PDF automatically for smooth viewing, while your original file stays safe in Showell – so a single upload gives you both. Prefer to control exactly how the PDF looks? You can prepare and upload a PDF yourself; just note that this PDF then becomes your stored file, so upload the original separately if you'd like to keep it too.
• Video: upload MP4 with the H.264/AVC codec – the most widely compatible combination across browsers and devices. Full HD (1920 × 1080) works best in most cases and keeps file sizes manageable on your users' devices. 4K (3840 × 2160) is usually more than you need: it takes up far more storage and only helps when presenting on a large screen that actually supports 4K, such as at an event or trade show.
• Images: around 8-10 megapixels (about the detail of a 4K screen) is enough for almost every use case and looks great even on 4K devices. Only go higher for very detailed images that viewers need to zoom into closely.
• 3D models are shown in GLB, so other 3D formats are converted to GLB on upload, which can potentially drop textures. Upload GLB for guaranteed quality (it packs geometry and textures into one file), and always preview a 3D model before sharing.
• Interactive tools may need extra files such as images, stylesheets or fonts. See Flow AI Apps (Smart and Interactive Tools) to get started.
• Showell accepts any file path length, but because Windows caps paths at 256 characters, we recommend staying under that.

Not supported? No problem

Not every file type can be shown in Showell, but an unsupported file never blocks you. You can still upload it and keep it safe alongside the rest of your content. When you open a file Showell can't display, you'll see a message with a Save to device button:

It looks like this file type isn't currently supported for viewing. You can save it to your device and open it with the appropriate app.

Save the file and open it with the app of your choice. Your file stays in Showell either way, so you can download it again at any time. You can also use the Open in option in the file's three-dot menu to hand a file straight to another app, where your workspace allows it.

List of supported file types

Below is a list of supported file types, grouped by category. Recommended formats are shown in bold. Where a file is converted for viewing, the format it converts to is listed.