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INTRODUCING BOX PREVIEW

 * Posted Feb 26, 2020 Updated Nov 1, 2021
   

With Preview, you can view your files in any Box application without downloading
them to your device. Preview currently supports most file types, so you can
easily access your content from any browser supported by Box.

 

 * Previewing Files
   * Previewing Video Files
 * FAQ/Troubleshooting
    * What file types are supported?
    * Is there a file size limit for preview?
    * What resolutions does Box Preview support for video previews?
    * My file isn't displayed properly
    * Known Limitations

 


PREVIEWING FILES

To preview an item, click the item's name. It opens directly within the Box
interface. When an individual follows a shared link to a file, by default the
file previews within the the Box interface, rather than downloading or
displaying within the native application.

This is a typical Box Preview screen:



 1. File name and parent folder. View the name of the file you are previewing,
    the name of that file's parent folder and the time of last update. Click the
    name of the parent folder to navigate back to it.  If there's a shared link
    icon (), you can click it, and Box automatically copies the link to your
    clipboard so you can quickly share the file with others.
 2. Primary file actions.  From here you can do the following (note that some
    actions may be limited based on your permission level):
    * View avatars of the people who have recently edited, commented on, or
      viewed the file
    * Click the ellipsis (...) to access a menu from which you can select a wide
      range of actions, such as moving it, renaming it, locking it, and more
    * Open the file
    * Download the file
    * Create a shared link to the file
    * Open the Share window to invite someone to collaborate on the file
 3. Information about the file.  Here you can:
    * Click the bubble icon () in the side navigation to open or close the
      Activity panel.  In this panel, you can view version history, file
      comments, view and assign tasks, and write comments associated with the
      file.
    * Click the details icon () in the side navigation to open or close the
      Details panel.  In this panel, you can view or add a wide range of
      information about the file, including classification, file access
      statistics, and basic file properties (dates created and modified, size,
      owner, uploader, and so on).  
    * Click the metadata icon () in the side navigation to open or close the
      Metadata panel.  In this panel, you can view or add a range of metadata
      attributes associate with this file.  
    * More information on metadata in Box.
 4. A list of recommended apps.  Icons in this sidebar give you one-click access
    to the applications you most commonly use with Box.  In this way, you can
    quickly share the file you're previewing with Slack, send it to DocuSign,
    and so on.  The applications that display in your recommended apps bar vary,
    depending on how you most commonly work in Box.  More information on
    recommended apps.

Finally, you can change your view of the file, and move between files within the
containing folder. To do this, hover over the file. A toolbar displays at the
bottom, with controls for zooming in and out, rotating the image file, and
entering full-screen mode. And left and/or right arrows also display on either
side of the preview window. Click an arrow to preview the next or previous file
in the folder.

 


PREVIEWING VIDEO FILES

Video preview is available only to Business level Box accounts, and above. Free
or personal users can preview video files owned by these accounts.

When you preview video files, you can use keyboard shortcuts to perform basic
actions. Preview also supports closed captioning in videos, and for
accessibility it works with screen reader programs such as Mac's VoiceOver.

For more information:

 * Keyboard Shortcuts for Videos
 * Enabling Closed Captions for Videos

 


FAQ/TROUBLESHOOTING

 


WHAT FILE TYPES ARE SUPPORTED?

To learn about the file types supported through Box Platform APIs, please see
our developer documentation.

To see a full list of supported file types and fonts, please see our File Types
and Fonts Supported in Box Content Preview article.

 


IS THERE A FILE SIZE LIMIT FOR PREVIEW?

Preview is limited to files sized 500MB or smaller.  Video files are the
exception; these can be up to 3.5 hours long.  However, videos exceeding 2.5
hours can encounter problems when previewed or streamed.

Video preview without Box login using Public shared link is only limited up to 1
hour.

Excel file previews are limited to sheets of fewer than ~100 columns and
~100,000 rows. More on the Excel online previewer.

 


WHAT RESOLUTIONS DOES BOX PREVIEW SUPPORT FOR VIDEO PREVIEWS?

Both 480p and 1080p previews are supported. When you preview a video, you can
use the settings gear to adjust the resolution. Only Business Plus accounts, or
higher, can modify the quality of the previewed video.

 


MY FILE DOESN'T DISPLAY PROPERLY

Preview displays most documents without issue, but we cannot guarantee perfect
accuracy. If your file doesn't display properly in preview, use the file's
native application to open it.

 




KNOWN LIMITATIONS:

 * Excel preview does not follow time information in the original file. When
   previewing Excel documents in Box, the time-related functions (for example,
   TODAY() or TIME()) do not display accurately. This is because Excel date/time
   functions are dynamic, while the previewed document is static. Box preview
   obtains and displays the date the file was previewed. A static version of the
   time/date is displays in the previewed document, based on the time the
   preview was generated.
 * While Box enables you to preview files in the current version of Excel, Box
   does not support previewing older versions of most Excel file types.
 * You cannot preview password-protected files.
 * Hyperlinks now work in PowerPoint files in Box preview on either the Web,
   m.box, or mobile applications for newly uploaded documents. If links are not
   working, try re-upload the document.
 * Videos embedded in Powerpoint files do not work in Preview.
 * Business accounts are limited to a video resolution of 480 pixels in Preview.
 * Animations and page transitions in PowerPoint do not work in Preview.
 * Adobe PDF Portfolios are not supported by Box Preview.
 * Small sized file (1-byte) cannot be previewed on m.box.com.
 * For dynamic time fields, preview displays UDT time rather than the user's
   local time.


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RELATED ARTICLES

 * Viewing Different File Types Supported in Box Content Preview
 * Excel Online Previewer
 * Understanding Collaborator Permission Levels
 * Why is Box.com not Displaying Properly?
 * Troubleshooting Uploads to Box

Articles in this section
 * Introducing Box Preview
 * Previewing Zip Files
 * Previewing 3D Files
 * Viewing Different Fonts in Box Content Preview
 * Viewing Different File Types Supported in Box Content Preview
 * Excel Online Previewer
 * Enabling Subtitles/Closed Captions in Video Preview
 * Print Files From Box
 * "We're sorry, your account is unable to preview this file type" Error in
   Preview
 * Known Issue with Preview Activity in the Updates Feed

See more
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