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Forum Discussion
How to open word desktop in the online version
I open my document in microsoft word online version of Dropbox and I would like to edit it using my desktop app. How can I do this? There is no function for opening it in word desktop version.
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Hi Sherly, thanks for reaching out to us here!
Through the Word Online app, there wouldn't be an option to open the file locally for editing.
To open your files in the local Microsoft apps for editing, you can use the Dropbox desktop app to sync your files locally to your computer. You can check out more info about the desktop app here.
It will create a local Dropbox folder on your computer which will sync any changes with your account online. This will allow you to open the files in local apps for editing and the changes you make with sync with your Dropbox account.
Let me know if this helps!
But previously, in the browser view of dropbox, there was an option to 'open in Word desktop.' Similarly, there was an option to 'show in finder.' Have these features intentionally been removed?
Hi everyone,
I'm sorry if the answer here is obvious, I'm a little new to this. I recall, just a few weeks ago, that when I opened a Dropbox link (a link to one of my files), it would give me the option to open the file in the desktop app. That is, once I clicked on the link it would open in my browser. From there I could click on the "open" button on the top right and it would let me open it in the Dropbox desktop app. Now, when I click "open" three's only a place to "Connect apps".
Am I misremembering? Or did I mess something up? I'm on a Mac running the most recent Dropbox desktop app.
- Walter
Dropbox Staff
Hi Jimmy2343; welcome to our Community and happy Monday!
Are you referring to a shortcut to a file of yours or maybe a shared link?
Could you please let me know if you get any different results after clearing your browser's cache and/or on another browser?
In the meantime, you can search for the file locally on your computer and access it from there.
Keep me posted anyhow!
Hi there, thanks for the reply!
I cleared the cache on the browser, and I tried in two others. It's the same. I have TONS of research PDFs. I'm using Airtable to organize them (I paste the Dropbox link in the spreadsheet). It has been working wonderfuly up until yesterday. I'm not sure what the issue is.
As an update to this - it came back for about a day and now the issue is back
Dropbox desktop app integration is going backwards. It just about works on Windows after allowing it to update the 'open' buttons after opening the files in the (rather basic) web version of a MS app. 10 minutes later, if I'm very lucky, an 'open in (a) desktop app' option appears.
On Macs it's a mess, doesn't work despite my best eforts and promises of platform neutrality.
I'm ☹️ to say that despite DBs best efforts at intergration using DropBox is becoming too cumbersome for much more than transferring files. Why use DropBox when the useful functionality with desktop apps is better implemented and built into OneDrive, Google Drive and iCloud.
With DB, I'm restricted to three devices on the desktop and productivity apps are clunky to say the least. The appeal of DB is evaporating fast in the growing face of once absent compettition.Perhaps it's time the world moved on…
