How to open word desktop in the online version

[Sherly]

I open my document in microsoft word online version of Dropbox and I would like to edit it using my desktop app. How can I do this? There is no function for opening it in word desktop version. 

[SalimB]

I have setup dropbox for business for a client and they now have members of staff working from home on their own PCs.  They should be able to open dropbox files from a browser login and work remotely without having the company dropbox account linked and downloaded on their PC.

Please tell me this is a software issue and not a "feature" as people who have Microsoft office installed should not have to rely on online versions of this software to open their own files.

I can't accept that as an "accepted solution".  Can someone from Dropbox please clarify if this is the case going forwards or will this be fixed.

[acboydston]

Here's what I've been using for years on dropbox.com:

'Open in Microsoft Word' and 'Show in Finder' are brilliant features. As expected, the document is opened by desktop Word. The initial accepted response is incorrect--docs are supposed to be opened in desktop Word from the browser. (Unless DB is sunsetting this feature) These two options disappeared for me for some weeks and recently returned.

[Jimmy2343]

@Lusil Hi there, any update on this?

[Lusil]

I'm afraid that there's no update yet that I'm aware of, @Jimmy2343. 

If you haven't already, I'd recommend submitting a ticket to our team, so that they can look into this with you personally. 

If you have any trouble doing this though, just give us another nudge and we'll be more than happy to send you one. 

Thanks again, everyone!

[jarratt]

I have the same problem!  I want to open it in Word not "Word for the web"

[igamogam]

Dropbox desktop app integration is going backwards. It just about works on Windows after allowing it to update the 'open' buttons after opening the files in the (rather basic) web version of a MS app. 10 minutes later, if I'm very lucky, an 'open in (a) desktop app' option appears.

On Macs it's a mess, doesn't work despite my best eforts and promises of platform neutrality.

I'm ☹️ to say that despite DBs best efforts at intergration using DropBox is becoming too cumbersome for much more than transferring files. Why use DropBox when the useful functionality with desktop apps is better implemented and built into OneDrive, Google Drive and iCloud.

With DB, I'm restricted to three devices on the desktop and productivity apps are clunky to say the least. The appeal of DB is evaporating fast in the growing face of once absent compettition.

Perhaps it's time the world moved on…

[VegasDBUser]

The "here" link doesn't work.

[Daphne]

Could you let me know which post you're referring to there, @VegasDBUser?

[LVDBUser]

[Daphne]

Thanks for that @LVDBUser. I've just gone ahead and fixed that now, let me know if you need anything else!