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Videos supposedly export to my computer but cannot be played outside of Dropbox

I have a series of MP4 videos shared with me via Dropbox and I am able to play them no problem within Dropbox, but when I try to export any of them to my laptop or phone it takes several minutes with a progress bar as if the system is actually processing information and creates a newly downloaded file but then I try to open said file (have tried via both the "Movies & TV" and "Windows Media Player" apps) and, nothing. Just a blank black screen. Pressing Play has no effect. The only indication that any information about the video content has translated over is that it does have the correct run time listed at the bottom. Furthermore, the data size of these saved files is just as big as the originals viewable in Dropbox.

It won't allow me to save these videos in MOV format because it says there is not enough space in my Dropbox. But I am not at all confident that purchasing additional Dropbox space would solve this issue, since MP4 should work too.

Thanks for your help!

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Walter

Hey @avadoodle, sorry to hear you're having issues with this.

Can you please go through the steps you take to export those files to your devices and, if possible, send us a screenshot of the error you get when trying to preview them locally?

This will help us assist further.

lukeyo

I wonder if you could try play the .mp4 files in another player app?

I use VLC when nothing else works...

avadoodle

Hi Walter,

I just open up the video and then click the download button (have tried doing this both directly from the originally shared file owned by someone else, and from the same file saved to my own Dropbox, with the same results). There is no error message when I attempt to preview the locally downloaded videos--they simply do not play, and the screen is black instead of showing a still image of the start of the video. (But the run time is listed and the file size is accurate.)

Thanks,

Ava

Hannah

Sorry to jump in here, @avadoodle, and happy Monday.

What is the size of those files?

Also, are you only using Dropbox through the website or do you have the desktop application installed as well?

If so, are you able to play the files directly from the Dropbox folder on your computer?

avadoodle

Hi @Hannah ,

Happy Monday to you too and thanks for your reply!

The files range from about 100-600 MB. I have not tested all of them, but I tested a few different ones to make sure it wasn't just a problem with one particular file being corrupted.

I do have the desktop application as well, but none of my Dropbox files or files shared with me show up there--only when I access Dropbox through the website.

Walter

Hey @avadoodle, could you maybe send us a screenshot of the error or blank page you're getting when trying to preview those files on your computer?

Did you try another 3rd party app to open them by any chance?

avadoodle

Hi @Walter , these are screenshots of my path to access the file saved directly to my computer, and what happens when I click the play button. I have tried opening the videos with Movies & TV and with Windows Media Player with an identical lack of results, except that Windows Media Player also responds by freezing up and has to be force quit afterward. My boyfriend has also tried opening the videos (also shared with him) with a Video Editor app and has the same issue, namely that once he imports them to the app they show up as blank.

ter Screenshot (4).png Screenshot (5).png

Walter

Thanks for the additional information and the screenshots too @avadoodle

Since you're able to view those files normally on our website, I'm starting to think that this might be an issue due to a missing codec from your (and your boyfriend's) device.

Have you maybe tried downloading a codec pack for your media players to see if this somehow helps?

If you do and this persists, can you right click on a sample file and send us a screenshot of its properties?