The files that may be uploaded as part of Turnitin assignment submissions must be in compliance with the following considerations. When preparing assignments or providing troubleshooting guidance, please take careful note of the following:

Turnitin - Accepted File Types

At present Turnitin files in the following file formats for similarity checking:

  • Microsoft Word (.doc and .docx)
  • Portable Document Format (.pdf) (Created using Adobe Acrobat)
  • Microsoft PowerPoint format (.ppt)
  • Plain text files (.txt)
  • Rich Text format (.rft)
  • HTML format (.htm or .html)
  • Corel WordPerfect
  • HTML
  • Adobe PostScript
  • OpenOffice (.odt)

Files must:

  • Contain readable text. Images and other types of media will not be readable and may be rejected.
  • Not be encrypted, hidden, password protected, set to read-only or be system file format as they will be rejected.
  • Not be in any other format. Other formats, such as Apple Pages files, will not be readable and will be rejected.

Turnitin - Maximum File Sizes

Files submitted to Turnitin must:
  • Not exceed 100MB in size for most files (for Plain Text (.txt) files the maximum size may not be more than 2MB).
  • Contain not more than 800 pages.

Turnitin - Minimum Readable/Highlightable Text

Turnitin assignments usually require that there are a minimum of 20 readable words in the submission being made. As a submission is uploaded, the Turnitin platform checks the submission file for readable text and will reject the file if it can find fewer than this number of readable words. Where the submission is not accepted, a Submission Receipt will not be issued.

Image files, like scans or photos, might show text that is easy to read by but not by Turnitin. As a quick check, if you cannot highlight the text in s submission file with your mouse, it probably cannot be read by Turnitin and will be rejected.

Turnitin will not accept PDF image files, forms, or portfolios, files that do not contain highlightable text (e.g. a scanned file - usually an image), documents containing multiple files or files created with software other than Adobe Acrobat.

Turnitin - Additional Information

For current information from Turnitin on File Types, please visit: