SharePoint Online Blocked File Types – Learn from Experts

SharePoint works as a central storage for an organization’s data. Therefore it is mandatory to maintain data security. So, SharePoint offers the feature to block or unblock the file extensions. If some of the file extensions look hazardous for the data, then SharePoint admin can block the respective file types. In this detailed article, we will discuss how to access SharePoint Online blocked file types. Also, how to block or unblock file extensions in SharePoint. So, let’s begin.

List of Major Blocked File Types in SharePoint

These are just common file extensions that are widely blocked. SharePoint admin can modify this list by adding or removing the file extensions as necessary.

• Executable files: .scr, .vbs, .js, .exe, .bat, .cmd, .wsf, .hta
• Archive files: .zip, .tar, .gz, .rar, .7z
• Media files: .mp3, .mpg, .mov, .flv, .wav, .avi
• Server Files: .aspx, .jar, .htc, .xsf, .asmx, .ascx, .master, .xap, .swf
• Document files: .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx, .pdf, .doc
• On-Premise: .cer, .chm, .class, .cmd, .com, .config, .cnt, .cpl, .crt, .csh, .der, .dll, .isp, .its, .jse, .json, .ksh, .lnk, .ma, .maf, .mag, .mam, .maq, .mar, .mas, .mau, .mat, .mav, maw, .mcf, .mda, .mdb, .mde, .mdt, .mdw, .mdz, .msc, .ade, .adp, .asa, .ashx, .asmx, .asp, .bas, .bat, .cdx, .msh, .msi, .msp, .mst, .ops, .pcd, .pif, .pl, .psc1, .reg, .rem, .scf, .soap, .stm, .svc, .url, .vb, .ws, .xamlx, .exe, .fxp, .gadget, .grp, .hlp, .hpj, .hta, .htr, .htw, .ida, .idc, .idq, .ins

Why Block Some File Types in SharePoint?

Let’s explore the key reasons to block file extensions in SharePoint.

• Security Risks: Some of the file extensions such as .exe or. bat can contain malware code. Blocking these file types until their requirement can protect SharePoint data security.
• Compliance: Sometimes blocking of certain file types is required to meet the industry standards.
• Preventing Data Corruption: A few file formats are not compatible with SharePoint which can lead to data corruption. So, it is required to block them to maintain data integrity.
• Performance: If you are aware of how to find large files in SharePoint, then you also aware of high-resolution or complex files can impact SharePoint’s performance. By blocking them, you can optimize SharePoint for better performance.
• Storage Management: By blocking some irrelevant file types in SharePoint Online, you can save your limited SharePoint storage. That can be used to store other relevant files.

Steps to Unblock File Type in SharePoint Online Blocked File Types

There can be organizational requirements where the admin needs to unblock the file type. It might be because of project requirements where a member wants to share the file (.exe) with the other members. You can follow the below steps to unblock the SharePoint Online blocked file types.

Step 1. Sign in to SharePoint and open the central admin site.
Step 2. Navigate to the Operations tab.
Step 3. Move to the “Security Configuration” section.

Step 4. Now, press the “Blocked file types” option.
Step 5. From the opened screen, you can choose file extensions to unblock by selecting and removing them from the list.

PowerShell Commands to Block or Unblock File Extensions in SharePoint

You can add or remove the file from the list of blocked files in SharePoint using the below PowerShell commands.

Write-host "Enter the Web URL"
$Web_App_URL= Read-Host
$_WebApp = Get-SPWebApplication $Web_App_URL
$All_Blocked_Extensions = $_WebApp.BlockedFileExtensions
write-host "List of SharePoint Blocked File Types:"
$All_Blocked_Extensions | ForEach-Object {Write-Host $_}
$All_Blocked_Extensions.Add("pdf")
$_WebApp.Update()
write-host "PDF File extension has been Blocked Successfully"
$All_Blocked_Extensions.Remove("zip")
$_WebApp.Update()
write-host "Blocked File type ZIP has been removed from the list"

Another Way to Secure Your SharePoint Data

If you are struggling to add an extra layer of security to your account. Then you can use the Most Efficient SharePoint Online Migration Tool to migrate your data to another account. You can use this account as a backup and use it whenever required.

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By applying the below steps, you can do so.

1. Download, Install, and Run the migration tool.
2. Finalize the O365 as a Source & Destination account.
3. Choose SharePoint sites
4. Add Source & Destination credentials.
5. Load Users & Sites and then Start Migration.

Conclusion

Managing SharePoint data is crucial for organizations. Due to this, SharePoint provides an option to block some file types that can affect data security. In this write-up, we have explained how to access the SharePoint Online blocked file types list along with the steps to block or unblock file extensions.