I can't download a shared file via link when opening it via Facebook Messenger's browser.

Hey FlorentH​, thanks for posting about this on our forum.

I tried to test this on my end and I was able to successfully download the file both via the browser and the mobile app (I also received the “You’re leaving our app” prompt). 

Can you check this with a different shared link, as a test, and let me know if you’re experiencing the exact same thing? I’d also like to know if your wife’s iPhone keeps freezing then. 

You can also connect via a different WiFi network/mobile data to help us isolate the issue a bit more. 

Let me know what you find, and we’ll investigate this further.

Hi Nancy​,

Thank you for your quick reply and for testing the issue on your end.

I will try sharing a few more links and connecting to different networks. However, could you please confirm with me whether you were successfully able to download a file from within Messenger's browser (and not an external browser)? What did you press when prompted with the "You're leaving our app" message?

Thank you very much for your help,

Florent

Thanks for testing this out too, Florent! I really appreciate it. 

That is correct; I was able to normally download the file through the default browser on Messenger, without opening a different one. 

When testing this, I’m seeing the exact same options that appear on your end. However, when I tap on “Continue”, my file is then downloaded to my local device and I don’t see any errors.

If possible, can you also change the default browser on your mobile device and let me know if it makes any difference?

I also had this problem once and the Dropbox program helped me with it.

Hi Nancy​,

Do you have the Dropbox app installed on your phone? I am interested in the use case where a user presses "Continue" but does not have the app installed.

I would like a user to be able to download a file from Messenger on their phone without having to install the Dropbox app.

Thank you,

Florent

Hey Florent! When I tested this the first time, I also had the Dropbox mobile app installed on my phone. 

To isolate the issue more though, I just uninstalled the Dropbox app completely, but I was still able to download the file normally. In any case, the Dropbox app isn't necessary when it comes to downloading files via shared link.

Can you temporarily change the default browser on your mobile device, and let me know what happens then?

I tried changing my default browser from Firefox to Chrome, but I get the same 403 error when I click "Continue" on my Android phone.

But just as a reminder, the issue I'm having is downloading a file from within Messenger's browser, not an external browser.

HI FlorentH, thanks for the information. In order to look into this matter in more detail, I'd recommend contacting the support team directly for them to investigate further.

Hi Jay​,

I've reached out to the support team. Thank you.

Hey FlorentH, thanks for the heads up! 

I was able to locate your ticket number reference on our system. Hang tight, and share any additional info you have with the agent working on your case.

If you need something else, please let me know and I will be more than happy to help every step of the way.