Child Item

Renaming files on the Android app adds a "-1" to the filename and removes their extension.

Device

Lenovo Tab P12
Operating System/Browser (if using the web)

Android 15
Dropbox App Version (if using the app)

440.2.4

When I try to rename a file, I see a second line which adds "-1" to my new file, doesn't matter what I do, I cannot get rid of it. Not only it does not make sense, but it has corrupted so many of my files as very often it rewrites also the extension, so when trying to rename documnet.pdf, it will rename it either document-1.pdf or even worse to document-1 NO EXTENSION. Then I have to download the file to my tablet, open it via my local file explorer, add ".pdf" extension and then I can use it.

Today I upload a WORKING pdf file to dropbox, and without renaming it, it removed the extension, so I was unable to send it via email or whatsapp to other people, I couldn't do anything with it, and the worst thing is that I cannot do such an easy job as rewriting the FULL name of the file whatsoever as this app for a very strange reason doesn't allow rewriting the extensions for me

I know I am not the only one, because recently a pdf file was shared in a group chat of my colleagues and nobody was able to open it after downloading it (whole thing was outside dropbox), when I donwloaded it it was called "file.-1" , I asked the person if she uses dropbox and she confirmed, but she didn't know that your program can corrupt our files.

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Accepted answers

Neal

Hi @kiuzjhtgrefwdsm

Thanks for reaching out.

I have a sneaking suspicion you're using the "Rename All" function and only have 1 item selected, hence this unexpected behavior.

I'd recommend working around this by renaming through the three dots next to the file instead.

Let me know how this goes. In the meantime, if this is the case, I'll mark this as a bug. If only 1 file is selected, this behavior should not occur.

All comments

kiuzjhtgrefwds

this is a situation where it is less wrong, because I can open it after, but still the name is wrong

Nancy

Thanks for reporting this here, @kiuzjhtgrefwds. This is quite odd, indeed.

Are you experiencing the same issue, if you try to rename your files via the Dropbox website instead?

About the “-1” that keeps being added to your Dropbox files, you don’t have any other files with the same name at the same location. Correct?

It’d be great to have a visual of what’s happening exactly, so feel free to send over a screen recording in the form of a shared link, as well.

Let me know once you have more info.

kiuzjhtgrefwds

Of course I am not experiencing the same issue on the website, that is completely different environment, that's why I am writing about the android app only. You have the visual in my first comment beneath my post in this forum. No, I am 100% sure that there was not a file with the same name, this was the only file in this folder, that's why it doesn't make any sense and it is a bug that needs to be solved. I tried it with different folders and subfolders, trying writing gibberish names etc, it always adds "-1" to every file I am trying to rename as you can see in the screenshot I posted here.

Walter

Thanks for clarifying that for us @kiuzjhtgrefwds

I just gave it a go on my Android device and I'm not getting the same results as you. Can you walk me through the exact steps you take to rename your files?

Is this affecting a specific type of files or all?

While we're at it, have you tried clearing the Dropbox mobile app's cache since you first noticed this?

kiuzjhtgrefwds

It has happened with pdf as that is the one I am using the most. So I found out that it is happening when I select two files, then I deselect them - for some reason then I see a screen with zero selected files, that is a bug of course. So when I am in a mode of selecting files, after deselecting everything, I click on one file, it looks as if I was clicking on it without previous deselecting (that is an important detail here), I click rename, and here it is, filename.pdf-1 . That is my extension format, which obviously none of the programs will open, and I have to go to my pc to open dropbox there and change the extension manually back to ".pdf"

Jay

Hi @kiuzjhtgrefwds, I followed the steps you provided on an Android device, and wasn't able to reproduce the same behavior you experienced.

Could you create a screen recording of your steps and show us exactly how it happens on your device?

kiuzjhtgrefwds

Hi Jay, could you create a screen recording of your steps so I can see exactly what you did differently than me so it works for you but not for me?

Jay

We wouldn't be able to provide a screen recording on our end for security purposes.

Are you able to produce a screen recording showing what you're doing?

kiuzjhtgrefwds

[removed]

yxpoh

I just want to add on to this issue that I am having the same issue except that when I use the checkbox selection method.

Methodology:
- Hold the file
- File becomes checked
- Top right "3 dots" options
- Rename
- Type the new name
- Select Rename when done
- If a single file is selected, the resultant file would have the -1.

I somewhat understand why this ended up happening, because this is setup for multiple files renaming, but I feel that it could be improved by doing an extra check if multiple files are selected or a single file. It would be a better alternative for users of both habits.
Some people are just used to checking the item before using the option due to other apps.

Update: This is app only, at least that's where I got the problem.

Neal

Hi @kiuzjhtgrefwdsm

Thanks for reaching out.