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Greg G's avatar
Greg G
Helpful | Level 5
5 years ago

Image previews disappear after viewing image

I love Dropbox for the convenience of storing and retrieving files. However, there is one feature that absolutely drives me crazy.   When I open a folder containing images, I can clearly see prev...
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Megan's avatar
Megan
Icon for Dropbox Community Moderator rankDropbox Community Moderator
4 years ago

Hi Philippe B, welcome to our Community! 

 

Do you have a Mac or a Windows device? 

 

Can you also let me know the version of the app that you have installed there? You can find that by hovering your mouse over the little Dropbox icon, next to the WiFi. 

 

Let me know more! 

Greg G's avatar
Greg G
Helpful | Level 5
4 years ago

This has been a problem with Dropbox for YEARS. It does not matter what version of the app is being used. I am using 149.4.4568, but have been battling this problem since 2014. It has to do with how Dropbox interacts with the Windows file system. For some reason when an image is opened, the preview is obliterated.

In the past, I recommended creating a tool to reset all previews, but that has fallen on deaf ears. My Dropbox subscription was just renewed for another year, but before it expires, I am hopeful that a suitable alternative can be discovered.

  • rustyx2's avatar
    rustyx2
    Helpful | Level 5
    4 years ago

    Same issue here, Windows 11.

    When a file is online-only, a thumbnail preview appears normally.

    As soon as I open the image or it otherwise gets downloaded to local PC, the thumbnail is gone, replaced with the icon of the default image app.

    If the file was initially local, a thumbnail preview is working fine.

     

    If I move the image for which a preview isn't visible to another folder (inside or outside Dropbox) or even copy-paste in the same folder, a thumbnail preview again appears normally.

     

    So it sounds like the "hand-off" of thumbnail handling to the OS default when switching from online-only to local, is broken.

  • Martin 14's avatar
    Martin 14
    New member | Level 2
    3 years ago

    I have the same issue!  Very irritating.  When is Dropbox going to fix this fault?

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