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I can preview offline files on my Android device, but I can't open them with Microsoft.
Hello,
I was on holiday and wanted to open a file I had successfully synced to be offline. However, when I tried to open the off-line file I received a message:
"you can view this file offline, but you'll need an internet connection to edit it. Check your connection and try again
OK"
However, it doesn't even let me 'view' the file.
Android v10
Galaxy Note9
App version: 414.2.2
I saw this discussion/Thread - but it didn't seem to have a resolution:
https://www.dropboxforum.com/discussions/101001012/offline-mode-not-working-on-android/756275
and the thread is closed - so I can't add my comments there.
Did you find a resolution to this issue?
Hey Pdecort! Apologies for any delays.
I double checked this with our team in the meantime and they’ve also confirmed that this is expected. Offlining mostly allows files to be previewed on the Dropbox mobile app, but to edit a file by using the Microsoft app in this case, you’d need to be connected to the internet. This is to prevent the creation of conflicts and duplicates on Dropbox, as the app won’t be able to detect your updates.
I’ve passed your feedback to our team though, so that they can also check your comments, in case this is something they’d consider changing in the future.
17 Replies
Hello Hannah, Walter,
I hope you both had a lovely weekend. Do you have any suggestions for my predicament? If I know in advance - I can download to the device whilst I have connection - but that's a work-around rather than a long term solution. Have you been able to reproduce the behaviour I have described? Thanks.
- Nancy
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hi Pdecort! Hope you don’t mind if I jump in.
From what you mention (and from what I’ve tested on my end), this is expected behavior indeed. While you can preview offline files via the mobile app on your phone, you’ll still need an internet connection in order to open them via the Microsoft app on your device.
So, I’d also suggest what you mentioned and download these files locally on your device, if you wish to edit them via a third-party app while you're not connected to the internet.
Thanks for the reply Nancy.
Why? As I mentioned earlier - If I download the file to the phone and browse to the downloaded file - I can open the same file in Word app without an internet connection. Why does it need an internet connection to do it directly from DropBox? That makes no sense as it (should!) not be doing anything extra - just launching the app and passing the file to the second app. Thanks.
I don't see why DropBox requires an internet connection to open the file in Word; when Word itself doesn't need an internet connection to open the file (e.g. I can open via CX Explorer App without internet) and the file is already downloaded to the device in the DB cache.
Do you follow my logic? I hope that makes sense.
I'd suggest it's a bug.
Could the Development team look at the way e.g. CX Explorer launches Word without an internet connection and compare it to how DBox launches Word (which seems to require an internet connection)?
Thanks. :-)
- Nancy
Hey Pdecort! Apologies for any delays.
I double checked this with our team in the meantime and they’ve also confirmed that this is expected. Offlining mostly allows files to be previewed on the Dropbox mobile app, but to edit a file by using the Microsoft app in this case, you’d need to be connected to the internet. This is to prevent the creation of conflicts and duplicates on Dropbox, as the app won’t be able to detect your updates.
I’ve passed your feedback to our team though, so that they can also check your comments, in case this is something they’d consider changing in the future.
Hello thanks for the reply.
I think that's misleading. Just because I need to use an external application to open the file doesn't mean I am editing the file. By your logic, in order to use any off-line file it has to be a file-type which DB can 'preview'. I am confident there are many file types which DB is not capable of 'previewing' which means they can't be 'viewed' off-line.
Your logic is mistakenly equating 'opening' with 'editing' - which are not the same thing. Thanks.
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