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Why are my PNG backgrounds not transparent when I upload them to Dropbox?
I had several files (mostly logos) that had a transparent background and they all have white solid backgrounds now. I have no clue what happened but it is causing me serious issues.
Dropbox is not editing your files... it is generating a copy of the file that does not include transparency and displaying that as a "preview" of your file to improve load times on their website.
Dropbox creates the image shown in the center which includes a white background. This means that dragging and dropping this image, or right-clicking and selecting "save image as..." will result in you downloading the Dropbox preview version. HOWEVER, if you use the "Download" button on the top right of the page, you will download the un-edited version of your file.
The problem is that while this change may have shaved a fraction of a second off page load time, it seems to have screwed up a lot of people's workflows as a result. I think Dropbox needs to consider changing it back or at least find ways to ensure these common workflows result in the desired outcome.
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- Mark
Super User II
Not unless you are a Business user with SmartSync. I am! :)
I too am having a similar issue. While on my computer, the backgrounds of the png files I created through mac powerpoint are transparent. When I upload them to google drive or other image hosting websites, the background remains transparent, but when I upload them to dropbox, the background turns white. Below is an example of an image before I uploaded it to dropbox and after I re-downloaded it from dropbox (The problem begins as soon as I upload it, apparent from the background appearing white on all dropbox-generated image links, displays, etc.).
If it is not dropbox causing the problem, what else do you think it could be?
I have just realised the same problem!
Checked many scenarios and it happens only inside Dropbox.
Before uploading, and after I download the same file from Dropbox, it has a transparent background as intended.
However, while in Dropbox it is always showing up ith white background, both in the Dropbox Preview and if I open a shared Dropbox link with another application such as Chrome Browser.
- Same for me. It's obviously the Preview in Dropbox. But I would think the Preview is just as important as the downloaded image, right? Any answers?
- RichThe previewed image is not the same as the original. It's just a preview, and is optimized as needed for display on the preview page. If you need the original, unaltered file, you need to download it.
- I understand it's only a preview. But, this was clearly just changed. It showed accurately a month ago I believe. Why make such a drastic change? So now you have to download multiple files just to find the one you need?
Just doesn't make any sense.
It worked, now it doesn't... - Jane
Dropbox Staff
You people may say all you want that DropBox won´t edit the files, but it's happening anyway. The DropBox visualizer changes the image to a PNG without transparency (24 bits?) and if you download THAT image, it saves as a PNG with white background.
If you download the file directly from the folder, it will save alright, with transparent background.
What people are doing and resulting in a problem is visualizing the image and then saving it.
It's clear that if you visualize the image inside DropBox and then save it and it lost the transparent background, that DropBox IS INDEED editing the file somehow, even if you blame the visualizer.
Mark wrote:
As has been said Dropbox simply cannot edit files, so you may wish to look at how they are being edited and uploaded. What applications are you using for that?If the PNG files are being saved from Photoshop, there are several things going on. First, if there is a white layer in the backgroung where the layer is turned off in Photoshop, the white layer is still there but not visible. I'm guessing that while Dropbox doesn't "edit" the file, the layer gets flattened with the visible layer and the resulting file is combined. Not ALL applications support transparent PNG files unless the file itself is devoid of any "invisible" (there, but layer turned off in Photoshop) layers that might become visible if the application cannot distinguish between a layer that is visible and a layer that is not. Always advisable to take any invisible layers to the trash.
I use PNGs with drop shadows and bezels all the time in many different applications, and I always remove any non-visible layers. I have not tried uploading such files to Dropbox (yet) but intend to, to see if removing any extraneous layers helps.
