A file extension identifies a likely format, but “support” can describe several different operations. A tool may extract a file's bytes from surviving filesystem records without being able to preview it. Another tool may recognize the format during a deep scan but have no way to repair missing internal content.
Use this distinction when evaluating files on Windows or Mac. Recovery Studio's support matrix is the reference for available source and format operations. The categories below explain what to check; listing a format here is not a claim that every recovery, preview or repair method is available for it.
Four operations to compare
Metadata extraction uses surviving filesystem information to locate bytes. Signature scanning looks for recognizable structures when useful metadata is missing. Preview and validation test particular aspects of the resulting file. Repair changes a copy to address a defined kind of damage.
Those operations can complement each other, but one does not establish the others. Even an unfamiliar or extensionless file may be extractable when a supported filesystem record provides its data map. Conversely, a recognizable filename cannot restore bytes that have been overwritten.
Documents, photographs and video
For PDF and Office documents, inspect meaningful pages, worksheets, formulas and embedded objects. Container recognition is weaker evidence than checking the content you need. Use the document guide for those checks.
For photographs, confirm full-resolution content rather than relying only on a thumbnail. JPEG, PNG, TIFF, HEIC and camera RAW families can require different preview and validation paths. For videos, the container, codec, fragmentation and camera workflow all matter. See photo recovery and video recovery for the corresponding evaluation methods.
Audio and music files
Audio recovery software should be evaluated with actual listening and structural checks suited to the format. MP3, WAV, FLAC, AAC and project-specific audio assets may store content differently. Verify duration, channel behavior and several playback positions, then listen through the important material.
A studio session or music project may also depend on external samples, linked recordings or application-specific metadata. Recovering the project file alone may not make the session usable. Keep related files together and test working copies in the appropriate application.
Archives and backup containers
For ZIP, RAR, 7Z or other archives, recovering the outer file does not prove every internal entry is intact. Test extraction to a separate location and compare expected filenames and useful contents. Multipart archives can require all parts, and encrypted archives may require the appropriate password.
Archive recovery and archive repair are different tasks. Choose a tool by the operation needed and keep any repaired archive separate from the first recovered copy. Do not infer support for a proprietary backup format solely because its extension resembles a familiar archive.
Email and database files
PST, OST and MBOX files can contain many records within one container. Byte extraction and mailbox-level repair are different capabilities; verify the relevant format and application workflow before assuming that every message or attachment can be restored.
Databases can also depend on related journals, logs or other files. Preserve those relationships where possible. A recognizable database header does not establish that every table, row or transaction is consistent. Validate copies with the appropriate database or application tools rather than treating a file preview as a full consistency check.
Design files and unfamiliar extensions
Creative projects, source code and specialized business formats may have no preview in a general recovery tool. Preserve extracted copies and identify the expected application before opening them. Some projects reference external images, fonts or other assets, so assess the working set rather than only its main file.
Use supported sources and download compatibility to select a workflow. Then evaluate representative outputs from each important category. A practical recovery result is the material you can verify and use, not the length of an extension list.