Ipad version of word not syncing with Dropbox

[sok123]

Hi,

I've been syncing Microsoft Word files between my Macbook and Ipad through Dropbox with absolutely no problem. 

Right now I noticed that while Word on my Ipad timestamps the time I changed a file on my Macbook, it opens up an older version of the file for no reason.

I've tried logging in and out of Dropbox, and logging in and out of Word on my Ipad and nothing seems to work.

Any thoughts? Is the issue with Word itself? 

[Jenniferchristie]

Same problem

[Lusil]

Thanks for nudging us here, @Jenniferchristie.

Could you clarify for us if you see the updated version in the mobile app and the website?

Also, are both the MS Office and the Dropbox mobile apps up to date?

[williamch]

I'm having the same issue. Is this a problem on Dropbox or Microsoft's side and is there a fix other than resetting word every time I make changes in dropbox? 

[Motte]

I found a workaround which at least prevents from editing the wrong, i.e. old document. I deactivated the auto-save function in my word app on the smartphone. Now I am asked, wether to save the editied version or not, when leaving the word app. When the answer is "yes", the old version will be overwritten.

Whenever I open the word doc from within Dropbox now, the word app realizes that some newer version exists and asks, wether the newer version is to be opened.

This workround requires some more questions answered and clicks, but at least it openes the correct, newest version.

[sok123]

Thanks! That seems to work with me too. A good workaround, although would be nice to still have the autosave feature available to avoid having to do this. 

[Jenniferchristie]

Thank you for your response. Yes, both my Dropbox and my Word 365 are up to date.
When opening a Word document directly from the IOS Dropbox app, it opens an older version and seems to be struggling to sync it from Dropbox to the phone, repeating the message ‘downloading recent changes’. It used to work perfectly, but I can’t use it anymore, unfortunately. I have wondered whether there is something in the content that doesn’t agree with the IOS version of the app. A temporary workaround is to rename the document in Dropbox. I am hoping the next update will fix it.

[williamch]

Thanks yes renaming works for me as well. Turning off autosave works but I wish there was a way to turn off that setting as the default for all the docs and not just on each individual doc. 

[BRN]

I have the same problem too. I want to sync the same document across iPhone, iPad and Mac through Dropbox, so my boss can read it anytime of the day.  The only real solution I could find was to stop using Dropbox and sync through one drive, presto problem gone. Perhaps you can get together with Microsoft and work this out, because Dropbox business model depends on working with all the software providers. And all those work arounds are just a pain in the butt. 

[sok123]

Same, I had to switch to OneDrive even though I prefer Dropbox. 

[BRN]

exactly my issue