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Ever since I started using the Dropbox app on my 12.9" iPad Pro (currently on iOS 12.1 with the latest version of the Dropbox app), I have had issues opening files. Occasionally, when I tap on a file to open it, I immediately get a spinning cursor that continues for a minute or two and usually eventually reports that the file cannot be previewed. The files I am accessing are Microsoft PowerPoint presentations.
Other times when I tap on the files, I immediately get a progress bar and then the file loads. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason as to why sometimes it works and other times it doesn't. Also, files that would previously open somehow become unpreviwable even though the file itself has not been changed/modified.
This occurs over WiFi with a good active Internet connection.
Does anyone have any thoughts or ideas as to what may be happening or any steps to take to correct these issues?
Thanks in advance for any assistance that can be provided!
Thanks for the response @Bandito - much appreciated.
If you're still noticing this behavior, could you please try to clear the cache on your app and then sign out and back into your Dropbox account? To clear your cache, please follow the steps listed below:
- Navigate to the “Personal” tab
- Tap the gear icon in the upper-left corner of the screen
- Select “Clear Cache”
Once this is done then please ensure you log out of the Dropbox application, then restart your device and log back in again.
In any case, keep me posted on your progress and have a good day!
Walter
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support
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Hey there @Bandito - sorry to hear that.
Can you please confirm that this is happening on our latest version of the mobile app for iOS users? It's currently 120.2 - are you running this version on the affected iPad?
Also, does this persist for all files of the same type or only some? Can you preview them normally on our site and if you download them locally on your machines?
Thanks in advance for your reply and please feel free to include any information you think might help our investigation!
Walter
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support
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The verison that I'm using is current. It is V120.2.4.
I decided to delete the application and reinstall it to see if that makes any difference. I'll test things out today and let you know if this resolves the issues that I'm having.
Thanks for getting back to me!
Thanks for the response @Bandito - much appreciated.
If you're still noticing this behavior, could you please try to clear the cache on your app and then sign out and back into your Dropbox account? To clear your cache, please follow the steps listed below:
- Navigate to the “Personal” tab
- Tap the gear icon in the upper-left corner of the screen
- Select “Clear Cache”
Once this is done then please ensure you log out of the Dropbox application, then restart your device and log back in again.
In any case, keep me posted on your progress and have a good day!
Walter
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support
Did this post help you? If so, give it a Like below to let us know.
Need help with something else? Ask me a question!
Find Tips & Tricks Discover more ways to use Dropbox here!
Interested in Community Groups? Click here to join
Okay. Time for another check in.
Since I deleted and reinstalled the app, I did not clear caches as my understanding is that deleting the app would remove all traces and so should have accomplished the same thing.
Next, I tried opening one of my PowerPoint presentations and got the spinning cursor. I decided that I should be more patient so I let the iPad sit there and spin the cursor and after about three to three-and-a-half minutes, the progress bar appeared, zipped across the screen and then the presentation was displayed! I know the presentation is on the large side, with approximately 120 slides, but that sure feels like a long time to generate a preview. So, it appears that in the past I wasn't patient enough to allow the preview to be built completely before I tried doing something else. That one's on me.
Since reinstalling the app, most of the presentations are now previewing again, but one of them reports almost immediately upon selection that it can't be previewed and to open it on a PC. I tried opening the file in the iOS version of PowerPoint and it came right up without issue and it also loads fine on my laptop, so I'm not sure why it won't preview, but at least it's down to only one file out of about 12 that isn't working.
So, I think that reinstalling fixed most of my issues. Issues that probably could have been resolved by clearing the cache instead. I'll keep an eye on things and report back if anything strange starts happening again.
Thanks!
Thanks for the prompt response @Bandito - I appreciate it!
All's well that ends well!
As per the particular file you're having issues with, try renaming it or maybe moving it to a higher level of your folder structure as this might do the trick for you.
Cheers!
Walter
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support
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Hi there!
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