PDF Preview functionality - how to disable?

Hi Megan and others,

Did you know that in a shared link you can force a file to download instead of previewing?

Please see here for instructions:

https://www.dropbox.com/en/help/201

Thanks,

Sofia

Sofia, do you understand the difference between a single tap action and the suggestion you wrote? :-(

Sofia not a suitable solution.  I liked Dropbox because it was simple and did the job well.  Now I am forced to use their viewer which is horrible and interferes with the apps I use.  If this is not resolved I'll be cancelling my  1tb subscription and use One Drive and Google Drive.  But hey who am I just one consumer....

P.S.  This forum is not playing nice with my Note 4 in 2 separate browsers.

There are several imposed changes nobody wants. 

• Default recent files screen on mobile.
• Default viewers for files in a world full of free viewers already.
• Sharing a file turns out to be sharing a link to the file and changing rights.

Just make it optional:

1. You have the working code from before.
2. You know what a check box is.
3. You may understand how to code if then statements.

JUST DO IT!!!

I really have no idea what the contribution from Sofia was meant to achieve. Our complaints are about the Dropbox App telling us how we can view our files, not about shared links.

Can somebody from Dropbox explain why they have decided to turn an excellent, easy to use piece of software into an un-navigable nightmare?

There is serious miscommunication between dropbox and it's customer base.

Dropbox is really not listening and is playing down complaints. I would not be suprised if some moderators here are paid to help out dropbox with that.

First real proof that dropbox is listening would be they acknowledge a list of silly design mistakes they commit to fix asap.

I was an early adopter of Dropbox and it was fantastic.  I am not impressed as of late.  Actually Microsoft has done a much better job as of late ncluding integration with One Drive.  Normally I'll be the first to sqwauk about MS and their goofy things they do.

I think she was referring to my comment about wanting customers to be "forced" to download the file; clearly that word choice was misleading.

Even though I do want my customers to have to download the PDF to see it, I don't want it to be automatic. I just want the files to be able to be viewed without a preview -- All I want is the option to turn the preview off or on.

I want to be able to just NAVIGATE through files without the preview always popping up OR slowing everything down OR confusing my customers.

I actually found something that worked for me (so far!):

1) Uninstall Dropbox app
2) Open a local PDF file (using ES File Explorer, etc.)
3) System will prompt for default program to open
4) Pick the program you WANT to use :-)
5) Reinstall Dropbox
6) Open another local PDF file (ES File Explorer)
7) System will AGAIN prompt to choose default program
8) Make your selection

My phone now opens most PDF by default in Adobe Acrobat (local and URL). Dropbox PDF still open in the viewer, but once open, the viewer provides the option to switch to Acrobat.

I'm running Dropbox 7.2.8, Android 6.0.1 on Nexus 6P, and the Dropbox app is running with full permissions.