To view a file via a link it opens in Word for the Web now

Question

Previously, when I used a saved link to get to my Dropbox document, it opened right up. Now I have to Open in Word for the Web. When did this change? and why? or is there some setting that changed? I share this link to members of my Facebook page and now I have to add instructions for them to do that; very inconvenient.

Jay · Answer

Hi Rmorris8, thanks for messaging the Community!
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Did you create a shared link to the file, or was it via another method to access the document?
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This will help me to assist further!

Rmorris8 · Answer

I had previously copied the link and pasted into another Word doc that I keep open on my desktop with several others so I can access them quickly or share the link with others. I had copied the link from that doc into a new browser tab.

Nancy · Answer

Hi Rmorris8, sorry to jump in.&nbsp;
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Just to clarify, was the file opening in Word for the web directly previously, and now it opens a preview on www.dropbox.com instead?&nbsp;
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Feel free to send me a screenshot of what you see when clicking on the shared link of a test file, and I’ll take a look.

Rmorris8 · Answer

It previously opened directly to the document (I don't know if it was Word for the web; it just opened). Then it started just opening a blank page with the options of File/Edit/View/Help and under that Self-sign, send for signature, Open in, and I would have to open in Word for web. TODAY it is back to opening directly to the document, but the options at the top of the page are the same rather than the options that you normally see at the top of a Word document in the ribbon.&nbsp; This is how it looks today; I do not have a screen shot of how it looked before it started opening directly again. But it was blank with these options.

Mark · Answer

Hi&nbsp;Rmorris8&nbsp;
This seems to be the new sharing model that Dropbox are using. Note that nothing has actually changed in the file etc. and you cannot actually edit it unless you do "Open In" and choose Word Online. However, I totally agree that it&nbsp;looks clumsy and, well, messy.

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To view a file via a link it opens in Word for the Web now

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