Files have a brown box on their icon and dont open in Windows 11

Anonymous
2022-02-12T17:29:29+00:00

What is going on here? There is no information anywhere so it obviously isnt a problem for everyone.

Most of my files stored on Dropbox now have a small brown file box icon on the lower left corner of the main icon for all MS Office files. They open perfectly well on the phone and a laptop running Windows 10 but not on my laptop running Windows 11.

I get an error message saying the program cant open it because the file is unsupported or may be corrupt.

Why the **** do they release an OS that doesn't work with their own programs??

Please help,

Thanks

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Files, folders, and storage

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  1. Anonymous
    2022-04-01T00:52:42+00:00

    I'm so sorry for being dumb, but how do I do that?

    I don't see anywhere to change it. Is it in a setting somewhere other than the file?

    I seriously would rather bring all my files onto my computer and out of OneDrive. They seem to go into OneDrive randomly, and I can't find them half of the time.

    Thank you,

    Penny

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  2. Diane Poremsky MVP 17,526 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2022-04-01T00:50:20+00:00

    Are you signed into OneDrive?

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  3. Anonymous
    2022-04-01T00:32:37+00:00

    oh ok. As Diane outlined below, the "smart sync" is for Dropbox files. That is the issue I was having. I opted to bring some of my files to "local" and brown box went away. Others that are used less frequently I left as "online only" ... so those still have the brown box letting me know that they are effectively just "shortcuts".

    Cindy

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  4. Anonymous
    2022-03-31T23:56:45+00:00

    These are files on my computer that are saved on One Drive.

    When right-clicking on the FILE itself, I do not have these options. Here is a screenshot of what I get when I right-click on the file.

    I am able to open the files IF I go to the One Drive. live. com and open them there, but no file with the brown box opens on my computer.

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  5. Diane Poremsky MVP 17,526 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2022-03-31T23:35:10+00:00

    If using Dropbox, its in the dropbox group when you have a folder or file that is in dropbox selected.

    For those with it in OneDrive - also on the right click menu when a file or folder in OneDrive is selected. iCloud drive uses an identical menu.

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