Prepare Files: Formats, Limits, and Quality Recommendations - Article
Summary
Prepare each file for the way learners will use it: viewing a page, streaming a video, downloading a reference, or completing an imported learning package. A file accepted by an upload tool is not automatically readable, accessible, or suitable for mobile use.
Different upload routes have different requirements. Keep enforced limits separate from processing thresholds and editorial recommendations, and confirm platform-specific limits before commissioning large media or package exports
Use this article to:
- Choose suitable image, document, audio, video, and package formats;
- Prepare dimensions, encoding, and file quality before upload;
- Account for configured limits and third-party constraints;
- Balance visual quality, accessibility, performance, and maintainability.
Choose the correct upload route
| Material | Intended route and format | Important boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Page image | The supported image/archive picker. PNG and JPG are practical preparation choices; the permitted extension list is configurable. | This is not an exhaustive list of every extension enabled on every platform. An image format supported elsewhere may not be accepted by this picker. |
| Downloadable document | A permitted file in the relevant archive, linked from a page or presented in a file list. | Downloading a document differs from displaying it in a supported viewer. An office document may require an external application. |
| Streaming video | The video library. Documented inputs include MPEG/MPG, MP4, MPE, M1S, MP2V, M2V, M2S, AVI, MOV/QT, WMV, and FLV extensions. | The extension alone does not guarantee that an encoding is usable. Processing must finish before the streaming version is ready. |
| Subtitles | SRT or VTT through the video's subtitle tools. | The text needs the correct language and timestamps for that specific edit of the video. |
| H5P interaction | Create an available content type in H5P or use a supported H5P package import. | A package must be compatible with the libraries available on the destination platform. |
| Native Eurekos Course | A native .eur Course package through Course import. | This is a content-transfer format, not a complete platform or enrollment backup. |
| SCORM Course | ZIP package for SCORM 1.2 or SCORM 2004 3rd/4th Edition. | Export a valid package from the authoring tool; a ZIP containing arbitrary files is not sufficient. |
| xAPI Course | A supported xAPI ZIP package through the relevant import route. | Required reporting services and package behavior must be configured and tested. Do not assume that every xAPI resource is a compatible Course package. xAPI should also be considered in relation to your own connected LRS. |
| Audio or specialist media | The input supported by the selected widget or interaction. | Use that tool's accepted formats. Do not apply the video-library extension list to audio, 3D, or other specialist viewers. |
💡For a new supplier of a content element or authoring tool, request a small representative package before commissioning the full library. Test the actual navigation, media, resume, and reporting behavior—not only successful upload.
Understand what a limit means
| Constraint | What it means | What it does not mean |
|---|---|---|
| Upload size or extension restriction | The selected upload route accepts only its configured files. | There is no single universal file limit that can safely be inferred for every Eurekos upload area. |
| Automatic transcription: videos over 2 GB are not supported | Prepare a smaller source or use another supported subtitle preparation route. For planning, stay below 2 GB rather than relying on the exact boundary. | This is not a universal maximum for video upload or streaming. |
| Native Course imports over 300 MB use background processing | Some imported content can remain temporarily unavailable while processing finishes. | 300 MB is a processing threshold, not the maximum Course package size. |
| Browser, connection, and device capacity | Large or complex content can load slowly or fail on the intended learner device. | Successful author-side upload does not establish acceptable learner performance. |
| Recommended dimensions, compression, or duration | An editorial choice to improve readability and performance. | A recommendation is not an enforced platform limit unless the upload interface explicitly says so. |
Where the interface does not show a required limit, ask Eurekos support about the specific upload route and file type. Provide the intended size and use; avoid treating a limit from another feature as the answer.
Prepare images for their intended placement
Prepare an image for the place where it will be displayed rather than applying one universal size to every upload. Course illustrations, activity banners, Storefront backgrounds, promotional banners, and product images use different proportions and can be cropped differently as the available screen width changes.
The dimensions below are preparation recommendations, not universal upload limits. Supported extensions and enforced file-size limits can depend on the upload route and platform configuration.
| Intended placement | Recommended proportion | Recommended preparation size | Important consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Course image or illustration | 4:3 | At least 1200 Ă— 900 px | Suitable for instructional images, diagrams, and reusable page visuals |
| Course page or Activity Description banner | Wide landscape | 1280 × 250–400 px | Keeps more learning content visible on typical laptop screens and should be previewed with the learner navigation visible |
| Storefront banner | Wide landscape | At least 1280 px wide and generally no more than 400 px high | Fill can crop the image while Fit can leave unused horizontal space |
| Storefront background | 16:9 | 1920 Ă— 1080 px for most uses or 2560 Ă— 1440 px for detailed high-resolution artwork | Keep important content near the center to allow responsive cropping |
| Storefront carousel or promotional image | 16:9 | At least 1280 Ă— 720 px with 1920 Ă— 1080 px preferred | Avoid artwork that depends on exact alignment with surrounding text or buttons |
| Incentives Shop banner | Wide landscape | 1280 px wide and 200–500 px high | The configured banner height can crop the uploaded image |
| Subscription checkout banner | 4:3 | At least 1200 Ă— 900 px | Prepare separately from the wider Storefront promotional image |
| Subscription Storefront image | 16:9 | At least 1280 Ă— 720 px | Keep the main subject readable when the image appears as a smaller card or carousel item |
| Product or Additional Product image | Proportion appropriate to the displayed item | At least 1200 px on the longest side where no placement-specific requirement is shown | Test the image in its buyer-facing context rather than relying on the administration preview |
Keep Course banners in proportion to the learning experience
A large image is not necessarily the most effective Course banner. Although 16:9 works well for many visual formats, a full-width 16:9 banner can occupy most of the visible page on a typical laptop—even when the source image has been prepared at a different pixel resolution. This can push the Course introduction, instructions and learning content below the initially visible area.
For Course pages and Activity Description banners, a practical starting point is 1280 px wide and between 250 and 400 px high. This produces a wide, relatively shallow banner that establishes visual identity while leaving more of the page available for the learning experience. It is an editorial recommendation rather than an enforced upload requirement.
Always evaluate the image in the context in which the intended audience will see it. In Learn mode, the Course navigation normally occupies part of the left side of the screen. This changes the available page width and can affect the banner’s perceived proportions, cropping and relationship to the content below it.
Use the relevant Preview or Participant view before finalizing the image. Preview with the Course navigation visible and check the result on a typical laptop as well as a narrower screen. Keep the principal subject away from the edges so the banner remains effective when the available page area changes.
Choose an appropriate image format
The best file type depends on the visual content. The permitted extension list can be configured, so confirm that the destination picker accepts the selected format.
| File type | Recommended use | Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| JPG or JPEG | Photographs, detailed backgrounds, and complex imagery | Produces comparatively small files but does not support transparency |
| PNG | Screenshots, diagrams, interface examples, logos, and images requiring transparency | Preserves sharp lines and text but can produce larger files |
| GIF | Short simple animation where the destination supports it | Limited colors and accessibility make it unsuitable for detailed or essential learning content |
| Other image formats | Specialist use where the selected upload route explicitly supports the format | Do not assume that support in a browser or another Eurekos area means the current picker accepts it |
For JPG Storefront backgrounds, a useful preparation target is approximately 200–400 KB at 1920 × 1080 px. Highly detailed 2560 × 1440 px backgrounds should generally remain below approximately 500 KB. These are performance recommendations rather than enforced upload limits.
PNG files may reasonably be larger when they contain interface details, diagrams, or transparency that JPG cannot preserve. Reduce unnecessary canvas space and test whether labels remain legible after the image is scaled.
Design for responsive display and cropping
Responsive presentation means that the same image can be displayed at different widths, heights, and crops. To prepare a resilient source image:
- Keep the principal subject and important visual information away from the extreme edges
- Allow space around logos, people, products, and other focal points
- Avoid placing essential instructions or long passages of text inside the image
- Do not design artwork that depends on exact alignment with page text, buttons, or other interface elements
- Provide meaningful alternative text for images that communicate information
- Explain complex diagrams in the surrounding page content
- Check Course banners in the relevant Preview or Participant view, including a typical laptop with the Course navigation visible and a narrower screen
- Retain the editable high-quality source outside the platform for future crops and formats
Where Fill is used, expect part of the image to be cropped so the available area is covered. Where Fit is used, the complete image remains visible, but unused space can appear when the image and display area have different proportions. Choose the display behavior according to whether preserving the complete image or filling the available area is more important.
Prepare files for their purpose
| Asset | Practical preparation | Learner benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Photographs | Crop to the needed subject and compress sensibly. Keep an original outside the platform. | Faster loading without unnecessary detail loss. |
| Screenshots and diagrams | Keep labels readable at their actual display size; use enough space around text and arrows. | Clear guidance without requiring excessive zoom. |
| Documents | Use searchable text, meaningful headings, accessible reading order, and a recognizable filename and edition. | Resources are easier to find, understand, and use with assistive technology. |
| Video | Prefer a clean, widely compatible export and clear audio. Split long material when the learning purpose supports it. | Better playback and more focused viewing, with useful subtitle and chapter opportunities. |
| Subtitles | Check terminology, speaker meaning, timing, line breaks, and translation. | Accurate access to the spoken content rather than an unreviewed machine transcript. |
| Course packages | Remove unnecessary source material and test a release export from the intended authoring tool. | More predictable launch, progress, and maintenance. |
Avoid putting temporary dates, private customer data, or sample participant information into reusable files. If such context is necessary, make the scope and ownership explicit.
Keep a maintained source and a release copy
Retain editable source files, licenses, and production settings in the organization's approved storage. The uploaded or exported asset is a delivery copy; it may not contain everything needed for future editing.
Use clear language and edition conventions. Before replacing a shared file, check where it is used and whether the new edition is intended for all those contexts. A larger new file can also change download or processing performance even when its title stays the same.
Troubleshooting
| Situation | What to check |
|---|---|
| Upload is rejected. | Confirm the destination, allowed extension, actual file type, displayed size limit, and permissions. Renaming an extension does not convert a file. |
| Upload succeeds but video is not ready. | Check processing status and any completion or failure notification before repeatedly uploading another copy. |
| A document opens for the author but not the learner. | Check the resource route, permissions, browser support, and whether the learner needs an external application. |
| A package launches but reports incorrectly. | Check the package's completion and success settings and test its reporting integration separately from upload. |
| The page is slow on mobile. | Review asset sizes, simultaneous media, embedded services, and the actual learner connection. |
| Transcription fails for a large video. | Check the transcription-specific size restriction and the available alternative subtitle routes. |
FAQ
-
Is 300 MB the maximum size for a native Eurekos Course import?
No. The documented 300 MB threshold concerns background processing of larger native imports, not a universal maximum upload size. Applicable size limits depend on the import route and platform configuration.
-
Does the 2 GB transcription restriction limit every video upload?
No. The documented restriction applies to automatic transcription of videos over 2 GB. Do not use it as the maximum for general video upload. Check the relevant upload controls and service configuration separately.
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Which subtitle file formats can I prepare for Eurekos videos?
Use supported SRT or VTT subtitle files. Check language, timing, readability, and special characters after import. Subtitles should match the current video; replacing the video does not make an old subtitle track accurate.
-
Why can a file extension be accepted in one upload area but not another?
Upload areas have different purposes and can have different allowed formats or configured limits. An archive file, video, H5P interaction, subtitle, and Course package are not interchangeable. Use the correct destination and check its current accepted formats.