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Preview .ods files on iOS

When I try to preview an Open Document format speadsheet (.ods) file in DropBox for iOS it shows as .zip instead of .ods and I can't view the spreadsheet contents.

Does anyone have any suggestions fixes or work-arounds fr this?

(I tried using DropBox support but they refused to answer because the email address for my DropBox account is a receive-only forwearding address and I can't send emails from it.}

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Jay

Technically, ODS files might not be supported to preview on iOS as per this article.

That article also states that any files supported by your iPhone preview in the Dropbox app.

Since you’re using a third party app to open the file, perhaps you can try another app that can open the ODS file natively?

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Jay

Hi James, do you already have an app on your iOS device that can open ODS file types?

JamesCherrill

Yes. I have Excel.

if I add Dropbox to the Files app and touch the .ods file from there it shows as .zip, BUT THEN it opens in excel in read only mode.

JamesCherrill

Ps. The DB help pages list .ods as a supported preview format, and the same files preview correctly in DB for my Mac.

Jay

Technically, ODS files might not be supported to preview on iOS as per this article.

That article also states that any files supported by your iPhone preview in the Dropbox app.

Since you’re using a third party app to open the file, perhaps you can try another app that can open the ODS file natively?

JamesCherrill

Interesting... that seems to contradict this page https://www.dropbox.com/help/files-folders/file-types-that-preview

Jay

That page is for previewing files on the Dropbox website. The previous article was specifically for mobile devices using the mobile app.

JamesCherrill

OK. Thanks for the info and for your time.

I'm going to forget about the DropBox iOS app and get to my files via the Files app which opens them correctly in Excel. It's s bit clunky, but it does work.

cheers

James