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"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 Desktop; only the Microsoft Excel files seem affected. I'm up to date with iPad software and Dropbox app. I would appreciate help.
Thanks for confirming! Next thing I’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 there’s no more than one Dropbox account listed there.
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I have now uninstalled and reinstalled the Dropbox app, and my files open perfectly. I just have no idea if the problem will strike again.
One thing that did change, however, is that before I uninstalled/reinstalled the app, while my files were opening, a dialog box would open and close on its own. Not the ‘Allow’ dialog box, but one that asked me to log in. Before I could do so, the box would disappear on its own. Perhaps this was part of the problem? Now, the box doesn’t appear anymore.
- Hannah
Dropbox Community Moderator
I see, thanks for the clarification, Martie.
Have you ever tried to uninstall/reinstall both Dropbox and the Excel app, to see if it helps?
Previewing is fine. The problem is opening the files in Excel. My Excel files are small, none of them larger than 300 KB.
OK, I marked files as available offline, but again, I can’t open them. It's also an intermittent problem, and I can’t figure out why I can sometimes open them and sometimes not.
iOS version 18.5
Dropbox version 426.6
- Jay
Hi Martie, thanks for bringing this to our attention.
Just for confirmation, as you mentioned you updated them to the latest version for your device, what version of the Dropbox mobile app and iOS are you running?
Could you try marking the files as available offline to see if this helps when opening the Excel files?
This will help me to assist further!
