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Forum Discussion

Martie's avatar
Martie
Explorer | Level 4
7 months ago
Solved

"Can't open file" error for the Microsoft Excel files on my iPad.

I cannot open Excel files on my iPad for the last few weeks. I get the error message: "Can't open file. Sorry, something went wrong and [document] can't open. The error doesn't happen on my iPhone or...
Error Messages
Microsoft Office
Mobile
  • Nancy's avatar
    Nancy
    6 months ago

    Thanks for confirming! Next thing Iā€™d like you to do is open the Microsoft Excel app on your iPad and follow these steps: 

    1. Navigate to Excel app

    2. Tap account icon in top left corner

    3. Tap 'Storage Accounts'

    4. Add Dropbox account.

    Please also make sure that thereā€™s no more than one Dropbox account listed there.

Martie's avatar
Martie
Explorer | Level 4
6 months ago

Hi, bad news, Iā€™m afraid. šŸ˜” The intermittent problem hasnā€™t gone away after all. Iā€™ve marked all Excel files as available off-line, deleted and reinstalled the Dropbox app, deleted and reinstalled Excel, and for a few days the problem seemed solved. Now itā€™s cropping up again. What else could I try?

Hannah's avatar
Hannah
Icon for Dropbox Community Moderator rankDropbox Community Moderator
6 months ago

Sorry to hear that, Martie.

If you do the uninstall/reinstall process again, does it help?

  • Martie's avatar
    Martie
    Explorer | Level 4
    6 months ago

    Itā€™s very frustrating. Some of my Excel files open, others do not. Just now, none of my files would open. I canā€™t figure out if thereā€™s a pattern. Iā€™ve just deleted/reinstalled the app again; now some files open, and one in particular is still stubborn and wonā€™t open. 

    • Hannah's avatar
      Hannah
      Icon for Dropbox Community Moderator rankDropbox Community Moderator
      6 months ago

      I completely understand where you're coming from, Martie, and rest assured that we will get to the bottom of this, one way or another.

      Is it possible to send us a screenshot of the error that you're getting?

      • Martie's avatar
        Martie
        Explorer | Level 4
        6 months ago

        Now that I need a screenshot, of course, all my files open! Itā€™s a very cursory error message, saying something like ā€œerror the file canā€™t be opened.ā€ 

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