Turnitin File Types: Accepted Formats, Size and Images
Turnitin accepts most document formats, including Word, PDF, plain text, RTF, PowerPoint and Google Docs from Drive, up to 100 MB and under 800 pages. The AI writing report is stricter: only .docx, .pdf, .txt or .rtf files with 300 to 30,000 words of prose. Turnitin does not read text inside images. Here is the full list and how to avoid a rejected upload.
Turnitin accepted file types (similarity report)
| Format | Extensions |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Word | .doc, .docx |
| PDF (with selectable text) | |
| Plain text and Rich Text | .txt, .rtf |
| PowerPoint | .pptx, .ppt, .ppsx, .pps |
| Excel | .xls, .xlsx |
| OpenOffice text | .odt |
| Web and other | .html, .wpd, .ps, .eps, .hwp |
| Google Docs | Through Google Drive only, not a .gdoc file |
Not accepted: Apple Pages, Microsoft Works (.wps), non-Excel spreadsheets such as .ods, and image-only PDFs.
File requirements for the AI writing report
- File types: .docx, .pdf, .txt or .rtf.
- Length: at least 300 words of prose, at most 30,000 words.
- Language: English, Spanish, Japanese, Arabic, German, Dutch or Turkish. See AI detection by language.
- Size: under 100 MB.
Bullet lists, tables and code do not count as prose, so a slide deck may get a similarity report but no AI score.
Does Turnitin check images?
No. Turnitin reads the text layer of your file. Text inside pictures, screenshots, charts or scanned pages is not checked for similarity or AI. A scanned, image-only PDF is usually rejected with an error such as "Your submission must contain 20 words or more". Fix it by saving from Word, or by running OCR so the text can be selected.
Tips to avoid upload errors
- Save as .docx or a text-based .pdf.
- Avoid WordArt and text boxes for main content.
- Remove password protection.
- Keep the file under 100 MB by compressing images.
Still stuck? See Turnitin not working.
Check your file before you submit
We accept .docx and .pdf for Turnitin checks: $3.99 for both reports, usually within minutes. For human editing, you can upload DOCX, DOC, PDF or TXT.
Frequently asked questions
What file types does Turnitin accept?
Word, PDF with selectable text, TXT, RTF, PowerPoint, Excel, ODT, HTML, WPD, PS/EPS, HWP and Google Docs via Drive, up to 100 MB and under 800 pages.
Which files get an AI writing report?
.docx, .pdf, .txt and .rtf files with 300 to 30,000 words of prose in a supported language.
Does Turnitin check images?
No. Text inside images or scanned pages is not checked. Image-only PDFs are usually rejected.