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

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

118 answers

Sort by: Oldest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2022-03-31T20:31:51+00:00

    So, can you tell me how to fix this?

    I can't open any of the files that have this brown file box -- and I need to open them.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2022-03-31T22:49:49+00:00

    Have you tried this: Right-click on the file or folder: then go to "Show more options" > "Smart Sync" > and then switch the file status to "local" (rather than "Online Only" ? I read in an earlier post that the brown box was signifying that the file was really just a shortcut to online. So if you wanted it to be the actual file and not a shortcut, you have to switch the status in Smart Sync.

    I hope that helps.

    Was this answer helpful?

    3 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2022-03-31T23:04:38+00:00

    When I right-click> "Show more options", I don't get a "smart sync" option.

    I don't see an option to sync it anywhere.

    Was this answer helpful?

    4 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  4. 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.

    Was this answer helpful?

    5 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  5. 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.

    Was this answer helpful?

    5 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments