Create, upload, and share
Find help to solve issues with creating, uploading, and sharing files and folders in Dropbox. Get support and advice from the Dropbox Community.
For a while now, I've been sharing Dropbox documents in PDF format via email. Once in a while people tell me they "can't open the links." I always just assumed they didn't know what they were doing, but today I happened to test one of these links on an Android phone.
In the Gmail app on Android, clicking on a Dropbox link in this format:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/o8fpocz6tykra0o/20190204.pdf?dl=0
gives the error,
Cannot display PDF (20190204.pdf is of invalid format)
Anyone know how to get this to work on Android?
Lusil,
Surprisingly, even that doesn't work! If I use the dl=0 option, nothing happens, and if I use dl=1, the file downloads but won't open (other PDF files on the device do open).
Lusil
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support
Did this post help you? If so, please give it a Like below.
Still stuck? Ask me a question!
Tips & Tricks Find new ways to stay in flow or share your tips on how you work smarter with Dropbox.
The device I was testing on does indeed have a PDF viewer, which works fine with other PDF files (I checked). And my Dropbox links open fine on iOS and in the desktop browser... so I know the file contained in the link is a real PDF. I think there is a bug somewhere in the way Dropbox is delivering these files to Android OS.
Lusil
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support
Did this post help you? If so, please give it a Like below.
Still stuck? Ask me a question!
Tips & Tricks Find new ways to stay in flow or share your tips on how you work smarter with Dropbox.
What is the final solution? I have the same issue for any shared pdf file on android devices
Lusil
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support
Did this post help you? If so, please give it a Like below.
Still stuck? Ask me a question!
Tips & Tricks Find new ways to stay in flow or share your tips on how you work smarter with Dropbox.
Hi Dropbox, I am a business user. I have EXACTLY the same problem as described. May i know the solutions?
Lusil
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support
Did this post help you? If so, please give it a Like below.
Still stuck? Ask me a question!
Tips & Tricks Find new ways to stay in flow or share your tips on how you work smarter with Dropbox.
This sucks,
I'm having the same problem.
If I use the link via Whatsapp Web it opens fine.
and if I access the pdf, either download or
with a link from "one drive" it also works fine
conclusion it's a DROPBOX issue.
Please solve it.
Hi there!
If you need more help you can view your support options (expected response time for a ticket is 24 hours), or contact us on X or Facebook.
For more info on available support options for your Dropbox plan, see this article.
If you found the answer to your question in this Community thread, please 'like' the post to say thanks and to let us know it was useful!