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Forum Discussion
How to view previews of online-only files on desktop (like how you can in the mobile app)? - macOS
I'm trying to figure out how to see previews, specifically of .jpeg online files, on my mac desktop. I use Dropbox almost exclusively for photo management and it's frustrating not even being able to see a preview so I can figure out which files I need to download locally (I just moved from an old computer that had enough storage to download everything offline to a new computer with much less storage so almost everything is online). I can do this on my android app. All of the online-only files on the mobile app are fully previewable and I can scroll through everything before deciding what to download. Is this possible on the desktop?
Hello,
I would like to know if there is an update on this issue.
Please note that I've already discussed this issue with dropbox support so please, please, please, don't suggest anything like re-indexing spotlight or finder or deleting and reinstalling the app or what so ever - the issue has been confirmed from Dropbox Team (as you can see from the screenshot) so all I want to know is if the version that fixes this bug is available.Just to give you a bit of context: Since i've updated my Mac to Mac OS Ventura I can't see preview icons if the files are online-only, and sometimes even if I make them available offline.
This is a screenshot of what I see (the grey bar are just to cover my file names)In case you're wondering, my Dropbox version is v.174.3.5811 which Dropbox Team provided me before admitting that they are aware of the issue.
Thank you,
Massimiliano- Walter
Dropbox Staff
Hey there massimilianogrieco, sorry to hear you're having issues with this and thanks for all the information you've shared with us.
Could you let us know your ticket ID as well so that we can look it up in our system?
Thanks so much!
Sure - Ticket #22111476
Thank you.
I can't believe this is still an ongoing issue! This is still making it very difficult on a day to day basis to do my job. Is there any word on a fix?
Hi, I agree with Charlotte. We've been here since the first pages of this thread and I truly can't believe that this is still going on.
There aren't words to explain how frustrating is to not being able to preview files in a Creative environment.
I'm so disappointed on how unprofessional Dropbox is resulting on this issue.
I had this issue on Mac OS Ventura and I still have it on OS Sonoma V. 14.2.1 (Dropbox version: 192.3.4870)Same boat here. Having recently upgraded to Sonoma 14.2, I am so thoroughly annoyed that I still cannot see image previews! I've just had to download (make available offline) 6 GB of client images just to be able to select a few for a publication design. Please fix this now!
Finally found a thread addressing this issue and a bit shocked that this is still unresolved.
As a professional creative, I might as well have my hands tied behind my back. Completely incapable of doing any work without being able to see a thumbnail picture of online-only files. The rest of my team running latest OS is also experiencing this and resorted to using the dropbox website to preview files, then hop over to the folder location to edit.
This is insane and it's crippled our productivity. Will be looking into other services for sure.
- For those who are leaving Dropbox to gain thumbnail previews, please let us know of the cloud storage alternatives you âtested and found will do the job. Thanks!
- The free version of Dropbox works! Itâs just the larger storage, paid version that is absolutely useless. That said, the files are more likely to be downloaded to your hard drive (less space on the free version), so you would see the thumbnails. I would love to hear of an alternative to Dropbox. I would switch immediately.
Hi there,
I am having an issue with thumbnails of online-only files. I'm using the most recent beta of dropbox for mac and my mac is up to date. I can't preview or view image thumbnails, they all just show the generic JPG thumb. Most of my work involves scouring dropbox for different images and making everything available offline isn't an option. I've tried researching on here and nothing's worked. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
- Jay
Hi vmachado0113, thanks for bringing this to our attention.
Were you able to preview the thumbnails of online-only files when using the older version of the Dropbox desktop application on Mac OS?
This will help me to assist further!
No, but I used to be able to click on the files and view them in preview, which I can't do anymore.
Anyone solved this? It's driving me insane! đ
I have the same issue in a lot of Mac computers in my company. Dropbox v.198.4.7615
I have an update that could be helpful for other users and dropbox technicians.
In my company we have a lot of mac with different version of macOS: Monterey, Ventura and Sonoma. I've seen that the file preview works with Monterey OS and also the user is able to sync more than 500.000 files in his machine without any error.
With Sonoma the preview function works only with illustrator (.ai) and .eps files but doesn't work with: pdf, csv, png, jpeg, jpg, html
Also the user that has Sonoma is not able to sync every file and folder archived in the cloud. In my case we are talking about 3 milions of files (14TB). The client returns an error "sync interrupted" and you have to choose you want to sync.
Every Mac machine in my company has Apple Silicon M1/M3 Pro
Thank you
Up until today, I have been able to see thumbnails for jpg/png files that are online-only. Now it is just a generic icon.
I understand what online-only entails but for years I have been using the thumbnails to select the file i need to download or re-download.
I can't just download all the photos from the photoshoot just to select one file.
Is there a way to re-enable the thumbnails?
I am not able to see .jpgs still. I am running Dropbox 185.4.6054 on a Macbook Pro M1 Ventura 13.5.2 (22G91). I am able to see .psd files that are offline, but sadly not .jpg. Why does it work for some on this thread and not all?
Lizajane you're not using the latest beta, so you could try updating to that. The issue with it working for some and not for others appears at this point to be linked to those of us using Team folders. If you're not in a team, hopefully updating to the latest beta will solve your issues. Otherwise, you're in the same boat as the rest of us, just waiting!
Just throwing it out here, although it seems that the issue has been well documented already. I have not been able to see .jpg previews since upgrading to Ventura. I am currently running Dropbox 188.4.6302 on a MacBook Air M1 Sonoma 14.1.2.
- Jay
Hi meganh32, thanks for bringing this to our attention.
The difference between the apps is that the mobile app is primary used to preview files on the site, so it's actively downloading the thumbnails to let you preview the files in full when you tap them, and the full file is then downloaded.
Regarding the desktop, are you referring to using Quick Look on your Mac to see thumbnails, or something else?
This will help me to assist further!
Hi, I'm struggling with the same issue currently on my Mac (running up to date OS Ventura Version 13.3.1 ). My online-only files have plain JPG icons with no preview thumbnails and when I hit the space bar (or select Quick Look) there's nothing. My local files all display perfectly.
It's clear that I'm not alone with this issue.
Having tens of thousands of images to sort through, this issue is potentially a deal-breaker and one that may need me to move away from Dropbox. I don't want this - so would appreciate some serious help by the DB team. Thanks in advance.- Megan
Hi ShropshireLad, let's jump right into this!
Which Dropbox version are you running? You can find this by locating your little Dropbox icon on the menu bar, next to your WiFi, and hovering your mouse over it.
If you right click on the files, and change to available offline, can you see the thumbnails then? Can you send me a screenshot of the missing thumbnails so I can have a visual of what you described?
This will help me to assist further!
Hi Jay,
I'm using almost exclusively just Finder thumbnail pictures, sometimes Preview, on Mac. I mainly use dropbox for photo storage and now that I don't have a computer that can locally store all my files, and I am unable to even preview photos while connected to the internet (I would understand that the thumbnails wouldn't show up if not connected to internet) it's making it nearly impossible to use dropbox effeciently. It's seeming like I have to use the website, find the file I need, then either download it (creating duplicate files) or find the file name/location and then going back to the desktop app and finding the file name/location again and downloading it there. It's very cumbersome.
- Megan
Hi meganh32 & ShropshireLad, can you try following these steps, in order to force quit the app?
- Click the Dropbox icon in the system tray, or menu bar, by the clock.
- Click on your profile picture or initials to the right of the search bar.
- Choose either "Exit Dropbox" or "Quit Dropbox".
Once you do, re-launch the app, and let me know if you notice any difference.
Same problem here with a team of designers.
Strange thing is that not every user has this issue...
But then again, one is one too many in this case
Creneau_Admin the problem is present on Macbooks with Ventura/Sonoma?
Currently I did some tests with the new M1 Mac as i said in the previous comment that has Monterey and the file preview problem is not present. I can see every file archived online. So something has been broken with the new operating systems. Please Sam DBX can you check this information?
Yes, these are indeed Sonoma's
