Most files you keep in the File manager can be previewed: click a file's name, and it opens in a window. This article lists the types that preview, the types that only offer a download, and what to do when a file will not open. These notes are for the web app. For the steps to upload a file and open it, see Upload and preview files.
Files that preview
| What the file is | File types | What the preview shows |
|---|---|---|
| Pictures | PNG, JPG, GIF, WebP | The picture. You can zoom in on it. |
| The document. | ||
| Word | DOCX | The words of the document, in order, without its layout. A long document shows only its start. |
| Excel and CSV | XLSX, CSV | The spreadsheet. It shows up to 1,000 rows and 100 columns. Download the file for the rest. |
| PowerPoint | PPTX | Each slide. Decks that Bluedeer generated show each slide as a picture. Other decks show the words on each slide, in order. |
| Markdown | MD, MARKDOWN | The text, with its formatting applied. |
| Text and code | TXT, LOG, JSON, XML, YAML, and source and settings files such as PY, JS, TS, CSS or SQL | The file's text. |
| Web pages | HTML, HTM | The page, working as it does in a browser, with Preview and Code tabs to switch between the page and its code. Where the web app cannot open pages, the file shows its code only. |
| Audio | MP3, M4A, WAV, OGG and other audio files | A player with play controls. |
| Video | MP4, WEBM, MOV | A player with play controls. |
Some pages ask for permission before they use your files or apps. The question appears in a box with an Allow button. Click Allow to carry on, or Not now to leave it for later.
Files that only offer Download
If the File manager has no way to show a file, the preview window says No preview available for this file. Download to open it. Use Download on the file's row, or in the preview window, to save the file and open it on your computer.
File types the File manager does not accept
The File manager accepts the types in the table above, and no others. When you choose a file of any other type, the upload is refused with the message "name" is not a supported file type. This includes:
- Older Word, Excel and PowerPoint files, such as DOC, XLS and PPT. Open the file in its program and save it again as DOCX, XLSX or PPTX, then upload that copy.
- Archives such as ZIP.
- SVG pictures.
Why a file will not open
- "This file is too large to preview. You can still download it." Text, code and Markdown files over 2 MB do not preview. PDF, Word, Excel and PowerPoint files larger than about 24 MB may also be too large. Download these files instead.
- "This document is too large to preview." or "This spreadsheet is too large to preview. You can still download it." A Word or Excel file can be small on disk but very large once its contents are unpacked. Download it instead.
- "The download stopped. Check your connection and try again." The file stopped arriving for about 45 seconds. Check your connection, then close the window and open the file again.
- "This document took too long to open. You can download it instead." or "The presentation took too long to open. Download to view it." A Word file or presentation that does not open within about 10 seconds stops. Download it to open it on your computer.
- "Slide previews are not available for this presentation. You can download the original." The slides are in a layout the preview cannot show. Download the presentation to view it.
- "Couldn't open this file." or "This preview could not be loaded. Try again." The preview did not load. Click Retry preview, or close the window and try again.
- "This preview could not be displayed. You can retry or download the file." The browser could not show the file, which may be damaged. Click Retry preview, or download the file to check it on your computer.
- "You don't have permission to open this file." Your access to the file does not include opening it. Ask the person who shared it with you.