Android app, opening videos doesn't work correctly

[Russ5]

I can't watch videos on- or off-line in the Dropbox app for Android. I think this bug/series of bugs started when I updated to Android 12 in October/November of last year. I've just been hoping the bug will be fixed in the next version of the app, but it never was fixed. I'm hoping someone else has experienced the bugs. It's hard to explain exactly what is happening but I will try here. 

A giant thumbnail will obscure the currently playing video, taking up about half the screen, depending on the resolutions of the currently playing video and the thumbnailed video. This thumbnail seems to always come from the same folder the video is in. I think it only happens when the video/screen is in landscape.

When videos do start playing correctly, the UI (seek bar, play/pause, favorite, share, etc) won't go away automatically. When tapping somewhere in the video to hide it, it sometimes will just toggle between two different UI states, instead of hiding it completely.  This seems to be random and the only way to fix it has been to clear the app from recents (which I think closes it) and restart it.

The seek bar in videos is also always in the middle of my screen instead of at the bottom.

[Zaffranad]

Hi, I have the same issue, on my OnePlus 8T, with Android 13 up to date.
I have no issue with other apps on my phone. This is really annoying.

[Andrusz]

It's the latest version of Android. This problem has been an issue for at least 2 years at which point I have had 2 phones - Pixel 5 and Pixel 7.

I have uninstalled and reinstalled the apps on numerous occasions, sometimes for extended periods of time because it's practically useless and unusable with this current issue.

Just assume it's the latest version of whatever Android is out and it is affecting all versions of your software currently.

I actually planned to cancel your service entirely because to be quite honest this has been an issue for so long and it hasn't been addressed or resolved I thought it was embarrassingly pathetic and didn't want to continue to use your app.

But unfortunately for me I forgot to cancel before my subscription renewal so now I am stuck with another year of usage lol.

So please, don't apologize. Just fix your app lol. You have a year to figure out what the hell is wrong before I leave entirely and never use your services again.

Your video player doesn't work without a thumbnail from a different video blocking it. No idea why this is, but clearly it is not just me experiencing this issue and I am sure there are plenty of others who are they just - for whatever reason - aren't reaching out to get it resolved.

Eitherway it's the latest Android version. Whatever that happens to be now on the Pixel 7.

[Hannah]

Hey @Zaffranad and @Andrusz, sorry to see you're having this issue. 

Would you mind sending us a screenshot of the issue, so we can have a visual?

Also, which version of Dropbox are you currently seeing this issue with?

[Roug3_paig3]

Whenever I try to watch a video in the app a thumbnail from another video pops up and completely covered the video I want to watch. I have no idea what could be the cause of this.

[Gg93]

This! I complained about this, too! Please stop asking for a picture-- there's one on this thread, if you scroll back. The app is unusable on the phone, and the phone is how I take videos and upload them. I've posted my OS, I've posted my Dropbox version, I've emailed, I've cleared the cache, I've uninstalled and reinstalled. I'm not only tempted to cancel my subscription, I'm thinking of asking for a refund for the months I've paid already. WHAT IS THE SOLUTION HERE?

[Zaffranad]

I Totally agree with you! This is a shame, for a paid service, to have a support as lame as this.
We all have the same problem.
If you can't find a solution, tell us, and we'll take the appropriate decision...
Dropbox is a product I use for many many years, it will not be an easy decision but I'll cancel my subscription. Ask for a refund is not a bad idea by the way...

[itissid]

Hi I am on Pixel 7 Pro and Android 13 and I am too affected by this issue. Can someone from the dropbox team please respond to this issue? Who is the PoC from the dev team looking for it? Are you able to reproduce the bug? This bug is almost 1 year old now.

[Hannah]

Hey everyone.

If you're still having this issue, can we reach out to you via email, so we can have an in-depth look into this?

[Gg93]

Yes, I am still having this issue and yes, please email me

[Nancy]

Hi @Gg93! Please check your email address, when possible, and reply back to my message.