FileType selected not supported by this app Teams, Excel error

Some Teams and Excel users have reported unusual errors while opening, attaching, or performing specific tasks on the files. This article will focus on the best solutions if you get the FileType selected not supported by this app error on Microsoft Teams and Office Excel. This error occurs even if you have used the same Excel or Teams tabs for years. Nothing changes even after opening new tabs or confirming that you are using the right file formats.

In as much as it could be a bug, we cannot rule out the possibility of other factors that trigger MS apps to generate this error. The file may have issues or the apps may have technical issues that need to be resolved. We have a detailed guide with reasons why FileType error occurs in Teams and Excel and how to fix it.

What are the causes for the FileType selected not supported by this app error?

The error has been reported in apps like Teams, Excel, and fewer cases in MS Word. The following reasons may play a part in triggering this FileType error:

• The file format could indeed be the cause for FileType selected not being supported by Teams, Excel, etc. As the file message indicates, if the file format is old or not supported, you would be able to open it.
• Glitches and bugs in Teams, Excel, etc can trigger the file type error. This can be resolved by simple workarounds like restarting the app or clearing its caches and file data on your PC.
• Some third-party plugins and extensions may trigger the error.
• If the file you are trying to open is broken or damaged, it will fail to open or attach. There are very old file formats in Excel that newer versions of the app cannot support; so you need to resave them with the correct current supported formats.

Fix FileType selected not supported by this app error in Teams and Excel

If the FileType selected is not supported by Teams, Excel, etc, try the following solutions to fix the issue.

1. Perform preliminary steps
2. Delete Teams Cache
3. Update Teams, Excel, etc
4. Disable hardware graphics acceleration
5. Check for hidden worksheets in Excel
6. Disable Dynamic Data Exchange

Let us look at these solutions in detail.

1] Perform preliminary steps

Performing preliminary steps ensures that you have exhausted any simple but possible solutions for the issue. Try the following before you proceed to the more advanced ways to fix the file type error in Teams, Excel, etc.

• Restart the affected app to initiate automatic repair during startup that fixes temporary bugs.
• Check the file format to ensure you are dealing with a supported file extension. You can save it in a different format in the Save As option while resaving it.
• Ensure your app is up-to-date and that your OS has no pending updates.
• Minimize and then maximize the window; this can refresh the tab and fix the hidden file data, especially in Excel.

If no preliminary steps work through, try the following advanced solution to fix the issue.

TIP: You can change the File Type on Windows if the app you are using requires a different one from what you have in your files folder.

2] Delete Teams Cache

If there are outdated cache, Teams might not open certain files. Clearing the app cache ensures that the app relaunches with updated and hitch-free functionality. Follow the steps below.

• First, if the MS Teams app is open, close it by right-clicking the icon and selecting Quit.
• Press the Windows button + R to open the Run dialog box and then copy and paste the following file path and press Enter on the PC keyboard:

  %appdata%\Microsoft\Teams

• Delete all the sub-folders and files in that folder.
• Finally, restart Microsoft Teams and see if the issue is fixed.

NOTE: Clearing Teams cache will not make you lose any user data. Also, restarting the app after clearing the cache may take longer than usual because the file must rebuild first to function properly.

3] Update Teams, Excel, etc

By default, Teams and Excel update automatically, but if you have disabled updates on Windows, you can update them manually. You can update Teams through the app settings or on the Microsoft Store. For Excel, you need to update Office manually to get the most recent Office apps including Office Excel.

4] Disable hardware graphics acceleration

If your FileType selected is not supported by this app error in any Office app like Excel, you can disable the hardware graphics acceleration by following the steps below.

• Open the affected office app. For this case, let us use Excel. Click on the File tab and select Options.
• Next, click on the Advanced option to continue.
• Tick the box next to Disable hardware graphics acceleration.
• Finally, click OK to save the change you just made, and then restart the app.

5] Check for hidden worksheets in Excel

If the worksheets are hidden in Excel, it can trigger the file type error and won’t be supported by the app. Well, it’s not always the case but we cannot rule it out as a cause for the error. Check if the worksheet you are handling is hidden and make it visible by following the steps below;

• Locate the worksheet you want to unhide and right-click on it.
• From the new menu, click Unhide and then OK on the dialog box that will appear.

6] Disable Dynamic Data Exchange

Sometimes, the Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) protocol may trigger apps like Excel, Teams, Word, etc not to support certain file types. The only solution for this is to disable the feature in respective apps. For example, in Excel, go to the File tab > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > External Content. Then, set Security settings for Workbook Links to Disable automatic update of Workbook Links.

That’s all. We hope one solution here works for you.

Tip: Set or Change File Associations & Extensions in Windows.

How to fix this file type that is not supported in Protected View Excel?

If the file type is not supported in Protected View in Office Excel, disable the Protected View settings. Go to the File tab > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Protected View. Uncheck your preferred option, such as the Enable Protected View for Outlook attachments option, and then hit OK to save the changes. You may also repair Office installation or install any pending updates for Office 365 manually.

Read: How to show File Extensions in Windows

Why can’t I open the Excel file?

Excel files may not open if they are corrupted, the Dynamic Data Exchange option is enabled, or you are using a non-supported app to open the file. Also, you might have issue opening Excel files if they are not in the correct file extension, or in some cases, the hardware graphics acceleration is turned on. To fix this, use the solutions we provided in this article.