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Forum Discussion
iOS Files app - can’t download shared files from Dropbox
Hi
I'm using the iOS Files app to access Dropbox files, because I have >10 GBs of other files in iCloud, Box and elsewhere (working with different organisations), so just using the Dropbox app is not a solution for my filing needs. I have a Dropbox Pro subscription.
When I use the Dropbox iPad app, I can easily and quickly download all files in my personal Dropbox folders.
But when I try to access files in my corporate shared folders, I just get the "Waiting to download" message and the whirring download ring, but they never download.
I need to wait for over 2 minutes, without change, until an error message comes up saying "couldn't communicate with a helper application". It also tells me to try again, and if that doesn't work, to quit the application and try again.
I have done all that. I have also deleted the Dropbox iOS app, and re-installed it. That hasn't solved the problem either.
Since I can download files from my standard Dropbox folders, could this be an issue with settings/restrictions on the folders in the shared corporate Dropbox folders? This doesn't seem likely because surely, if this was just the result of a setting in the corporate Dropbox, then surely Dropbox would have created an error message that told me that. (Such as "your System Administrator has restricted you from downloading.")
The fact that the problem is with a "helper application" sounds most like a software incompatibility issues between Dropbox and iOS.
Can anyone help please and advise on how to fix this problem?
Thanks Walter
i had one last thought, now that I'm on 13.1.3. I quit both Files and Dropbox apps, then reloaded them, and finally the files are downloading. It looks like Apple did fix the problem but I had to also reload the apps for it all to come together.
thanks for your help.
- Walter
Dropbox Staff
Hello Ozhumphries - how are you today?
I'm sorry to hear you're having issues with the Files app on your iPad; let's take a look!
As I don't think that this could relate to specific shared folders, could you check if you're getting this error with a specific file type? If so, what is the file's extension?
If you could also attach a screenshot of the exact error you get in your next response, that'd be amazing!
Last but not least, are you able to download/offline/preview those files normally on our own mobile app?
Let me know what you find!
Hi Walter
Thanks for your prompt reply, and good questions!
I have not been able to reproduce the error message I got last time (the 'helper application' one), mostly what I just get now is the words 'Waiting to download' and the whirring circle, even waiting for 5 minutes on one occasion. On another test, I (only once) got the message in the attached screenshot.
Your question on file types was spot on. I had mainly been trying to download PDF apps, and they are the problem files! If I click on a not-downloaded Word, Excel or PowerPoint file, it immediately opens the relevant Word/Excel/PowerPoint app, and quickly downloads the files into the app. All the files I am failing with are PDFs - all the rest seem fine.
And yes, I can see and download all files of all types in the Dropbox app.
