Cannot view Excel files created on Windows 10 PC from a new Windows 11 PC and vice versa

[Big Maho]

How do I view excel files in my dropbox that were created on a Windows 10 PC on my new Windows 11 PC and vice versa? Here is the error message when trying to access an excel doc created on my Windows 11 and trying to read on Window 10 PC.

 

[Walter]

Hi there @Big Maho - sorry to hear about this.

Are the files you're trying to open available offline on your computer or online-only perhaps?

Also, the file path shown in your screenshot is quite long. Have you tried moving those files to another location or renaming them to shorten their file paths?

Let me know more and we'll take it from there. 

[Big Maho]

Hi Walter,

The files only live in the dropbox account.  I have the ability to save them locally but my wife and I share files using the single dropbox account for our business.

I have tried to shorten the names but still do not have success opening them. When you refer to another location, are you referring to another location inside my dropbox account?

Regards,

Dave/Big Maho

[Hannah]

Hey @Big Maho, that's exactly what Walter means; can you move one of those files to a location that's higher in your folder hierarchy, for example your main/root Dropbox folder or another top-level folder and let us know if you can open it then?

[Big Maho]

Hmmm. Thank you for all the feedback. It seems that I can get to files if they are higher in the hierarchy. I'm still have difficulty if I create a new folder and my wife's older OS is not able to see the new folder. Urgh... Is moving folders into a higher level the only solution here?

[Big Maho]

By the way, I just tried moving a folder from four levels deep to one level deep and my wife is not able to see the folder. I'm still mystified.

[Big Maho]

And just tried moving the folder to just under the main/root folder and my wife is not able to see it. (head scratch...)

[Nancy]

@Big Maho, sorry for jumping in. Can your wife see the updates you made on her Dropbox account online? 

[Big Maho]

No. When we both had the same OS, we had no issues. I got a new computer with updated OS and the issues started where we could not see each other additions or updates in files inside the shared dropbox. ;-(

[Hannah]

Hi again, @Big Maho!

If your updates do not show up in the account online either, it means they're not synced on your end (from the computer they were made on).

What's the sync status and version of the Dropbox app on that computer, when you hover over the Dropbox icon in the system tray?