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Forum Discussion
Offline files failed to download on Android mobile app
Been getting this error message in my app notifications an awful lot recently. It usually happens after I've added a new file via the share function on my Android tablet, though there may have been other circumstances too. (The most recent one was such a file, but this time the error occurred when I manually set the file to be available offline.) (Clarification--when I share the file/upload it to Dropbox, that part works okay. But it for some reason then says offline files failed to download although that wasn't what I was attempting to do.)
It may be a false alarm message, as when I then force a sync to update my offline files, I never notice it downloading anything new, and that function always seems to work okay (so far). I haven't been offline yet to prove if files are actually available or not, though.
I will update this thread in a moment with my app version and system info.
Dropbox app version: 358.2.4
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
Android 12
This is something that's started occurring in maybe the past couple of weeks, unsure, but it's recent.
Sorry I didn't reply sooner, this ended up in my spam. The behavior seems to have resolved itself (I assumed it was fixed as a result of my post), though I just went and cleared the cache anyway, it was quite big.
I can't find a "Use data for offline files" option. I have "Allow background data usage" (this is turned on) and "Allow data usage while Data saver is on" (turned off). I don't think I use data like that anyway...? I'm on a tablet (not phone) and use a private home WiFi connection. (Sorry if I'm misunderstanding, I don't really understand roaming and data and how all that works.) I've never fiddled around with those settings.
Anyway, as I said the error seemed to cease not long after I posted, though I'll mention if it recurs.
- Nancy
Dropbox Staff
Welcome back to the forum, Rachel L.!
To have a better image of the error you mention, can you send me a screenshot of it?
Also, when you say this happened when you made the files offline, do you mean after following these steps?
Finally, please try disconnecting from your WiFi/cellular data, when you can, and let me know if you have any trouble accessing those files.
Keep me posted for any updates.
Screenshots:
1. The specific error message. I created a test file in an HTML editor app, shared it to Dropbox (successful), refreshed my Dropbox homepage so it appeared, then selected the option to make it available offline via the three dots menu on the file. I then got the error message.
2. Disconnected from WiFi. Dropbox homepage shows a different file as being available offline, but not the test file (deleteydeet).
3. Still offline. Screenshot shows I indeed made the file available offline and that setting saved despite the error message.
4. The file successfully opens offline.
I'm getting the error message when selecting the option to individually make files offline, from the three dot menu. I then go to the "Account: Offline" part of the app to force a sync of all offline files just in case. That gives me no error.
Just experienced this when moving a file I'd just edited from the Dropbox homepage to a different folder.
