What types of files can I preview in Dropbox?

Updated Aug 19, 2024
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The information in this article applies to all Dropbox customers.

Dropbox can preview the types of files listed in this article. If a file type isn’t shown, you can still open it by downloading the file first.
 

We recommend searching this article for your file type by pressing control-f (Windows) or command-f (Mac) on your keyboard.
 

See a list of file types that preview with Dropbox on a mobile device.
 

Not using Dropbox yet? See how Dropbox helps you effortlessly share files and folders.

Why can’t I preview my file?  

If you’re having trouble previewing a file, Dropbox may be unable to support your file type, or it might be too big to be previewed. Check the lists in this article for size limits and file types that Dropbox supports.

Encrypted files cannot be previewed directly within Dropbox. When attempting to preview encrypted files in Dropbox, the message "Can't preview encrypted file" will appear. To view the content, download the file.

You can also check this article for common error messages and fixes.

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Notes

  • Previews will be generated only for the file types available to the file owner. For example, if a user on a Dropbox Basic plan shares a .mxf file with a user on a Dropbox Professional Plan, the user on the Professional plan will not be shown a preview, even though the Professional plan allows previews for those file types.
  • Customers who have purchased the Dropbox Replay Add-On (formerly the Creative Tools Add-On) can preview files up to 150 GB in size.

Types of files that preview in Dropbox

File types that preview as a presentation

If your file has one of the following extensions, it will preview as a presentation.
 

For the preview to work, your file must be smaller than the size limit listed in the list below:

  • .key — 288 MB (Only the first page will display in preview.)
  • .kth — 288 MB (Only the first page will display in preview.)
  • .odp — 288 MB
  • .ppt — 288 MB
  • .pps — 288 MB
  • .ppsm — 288 MB
  • .ppsx — 288 MB
  • .pptm — 288 MB
  • .pptx — 288 MB
  • .xd — 1 GB

File types that preview as an image

If your file has one of the following extensions, it will preview as an image. 
 

For the preview to work, your file must be smaller than the size limit listed in the list below:

  • .3fr — 200 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .ai — 256 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .arw — 200 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .bmp — 100 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .cr2 — 200 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .crw — 200 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .dcr — 200 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .dcs — 200 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .dng — 200 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .dwg  — 100 MB (Dropbox Professional, Essentials, Advanced, Business, Business Plus, Enterprise, and Education accounts only.)
  • .erf — 200 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .gif — 100 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .heic — 100 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .jpeg — 100 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .jpg — 100 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .kdc — 200 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .mef — 200 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .mos — 200 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .mrw — 200 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .nef — 200 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .nrw — 200 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .orf — 200 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .pef — 200 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .png — 100 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .ppm — 100 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .psd — 1024 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .r3d — 200 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .raf — 200 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .rw2 — 200 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .rwl — 200 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .sr2 — 200 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .svg — 48 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .svgz — 48 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .tif — 200 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .tiff — 200 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .wbmp — 100 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .webp — 100 MB or 50 megapixels
  • .x3f — 200 MB or 50 megapixels

File types that preview as a video

If your file has one of the following extensions in the list below, it will preview as a video. 
 

For the preview to work, your file must be smaller than 100 GB.
 

Note: File limits are 150 GB with the Dropbox Replay Add-On.

  • .3gp 
  • .3gpp 
  • .3gpp2 
  • .asf 
  • .avi 
  • .dv 
  • .m2t 
  • .m4v 
  • .mkv 
  • .mov 
  • .mp4 
  • .mpeg 
  • .mpg 
  • .mts 
  • .mxf (Dropbox Professional, Essentials, Advanced, Business, Business Plus, Enterprise, and Education accounts only.)

File types that preview as a zip file

If your file has one of the following extensions, it will preview as a zip file. You’ll be able to see a list of all folders and files within the zip. 
 

For the preview to work, your file must be smaller than 512 MB.

  • .7z
  • .bz
  • .bz2
  • .cpio
  • .gz
  • .iso
  • .lha
  • .lz
  • .lzh
  • .lzma
  • .rar
  • .tar
  • .taz
  • .tbz
  • .tbz2
  • .tgz
  • .tlz
  • .txz
  • .tz
  • .xar
  • .xz
  • .z
  • .zip

File types that preview as an audio file

If your file has one of the following extensions, it will preview as an audio file. 
 

For the preview to work, your file must be smaller than 1 GB.

  • .aac
  • .aif/.aiff
  • .m4a
  • .m4r
  • .mp3
  • .oga
  • .ogg
  • .wav
  • .wma

File types that preview as a text file

If your file has one of the following extensions, it will preview as a text file. 
 

For the preview to work, your file must be smaller than 8 MB.

  • abap
  • .ada
  • .adp
  • .ahk
  • .as
  • .as3
  • .asc
  • .ascx
  • .asm
  • .asp
  • .aspx
  • .awk
  • .bash
  • .bash_login
  • .bash_logout
  • .bash_profile
  • .bashrc
  • .bat
  • .bib
  • .bsh
  • .build
  • .builder
  • .c
  • .c++
  • .capfile
  • .cc
  • .cfc
  • .cfm
  • .cfml
  • .cl
  • .clj
  • .cls
  • .cmake
  • .cmd
  • .coffee
  • .cpp
  • .cpt
  • .cpy
  • .cs
  • .cshtml
  • .cson
  • .csproj
  • .css
  • .csv
  • .ctp
  • .cxx
  • .d
  • .ddl
  • .di
  • .dif
  • .diff
  • .disco
  • .dml
  • .dtd
  • .dtml
  • .el
  • .emakefile
  • .erb
  • .erl
  • .f
  • .f90
  • .f95
  • .fs
  • .fsi
  • .fsscript
  • .fsx
  • .gemfile
  • .gemspec
  • .gitconfig
  • .go
  • .groovy
  • .gry
  • .gvy
  • .h
  • .h++
  • .haml
  • .handlebars
  • .hbs
  • .hcp
  • .hh
  • .hpp
  • .hrl
  • .hs
  • .htc
  • .hxx
  • .idl
  • .iim
  • .inc
  • .inf
  • .ini
  • .inl
  • .ipp
  • .irbrc
  • .jade
  • .jav
  • .java
  • .js
  • .json
  • .jsp
  • .jsx
  • .l
  • .less
  • .lhs
  • .lisp
  • .log
  • .lst
  • .ltx
  • .lua
  • .m
  • .make
  • .markdown
  • .md
  • .mdown
  • .mkdn
  • .ml
  • .mli
  • .mll
  • .mly
  • .mm
  • .mud
  • .nfo
  • .opml
  • .org
  • .osascript
  • .out
  • .p
  • .pas
  • .patch
  • .php
  • .php2
  • .php3
  • .php4
  • .php5
  • .phtml
  • .pl
  • .plist
  • .pm
  • .pod
  • .pp
  • .profile
  • .properties
  • .ps1
  • .psd1
  • .psm1
  • .pt
  • .py
  • .pyw
  • .r
  • .rake
  • .rb
  • .rbx
  • .rc
  • .re
  • .readme
  • .reg
  • .rest
  • .resw
  • .resx
  • .rhtml
  • .rjs
  • .rprofile
  • .rpy
  • .rs
  • .rss
  • .rst
  • .rxml
  • .s
  • .sass
  • .scala
  • .scm
  • .sconscript
  • .sconstruct
  • .script
  • .scss
  • .sgml
  • .sh
  • .shtml
  • .sml
  • .sql
  • .sty
  • .swift
  • .tcl
  • .tex
  • .text
  • .textile
  • .tld
  • .tli
  • .tmpl
  • .tpl
  • .tsx
  • .txt
  • .vb
  • .vi
  • .vim
  • .wsdl
  • .xhtml
  • .xml
  • .xoml
  • .xsd
  • .xsl
  • .xslt
  • .yaml
  • .yaws
  • .yml
  • .zsh

File types that preview as a document

If your file has one of the following extensions, it will preview as a document. 
 

For the preview to work, your file must be smaller than the listed size limits:

  • .csv — 40 MB
  • .doc — 160 MB
  • .docx — 160 MB
  • .docm — 160 MB
  • .eps — 256 MB
  • .hwp — 40 MB
  • .numbers — 40 MB (Only the first page will display in preview.)
  • .ods — 40 MB
  • .odt — 40 MB
  • .otf — 32 MB
  • .pages— 40 MB (Only the first page will display in preview.)
  • .pdf — 500 MB
  • .ps — 256 MB
  • .rtf — 160 MB
  • .sketch — 1 GB
  • .ttf — 32 MB
  • .wpd — 160 MB
  • .xd — 1 GB
  • .xls — 40 MB
  • .xlsm — 40 MB
  • .xlsx — 40 MB

File types that preview as a link

If your saved website has one of the following extensions, it will preview as a shortcut to the website.
 

For the preview to work, your file must be smaller than 10 MB.

  • .url
  • .webloc
  • .website
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