# A file won't open or preview

What each preview message means when Drime can't show a file, the preview size limits, and other ways to open the file.

Updated: 2026-10-21  
Source: https://drime.cloud/support/troubleshooting/file-wont-open-or-preview

When Drime can't show a file, the preview says why. Find the message you see below. You can upload any type of file to Drime, even one it can't preview.

## Can’t load this file type

**Can’t load this file type**, with **This file type is unsupported here.** underneath, means Drime can't preview this format.

![The preview of a demo file in a format Drime can't display, with its message and the Download button](https://drime.cloud/media/01M5DW0MQR1JCQD5VVXYQ9DWVJ/a494e251511a-web-preview-unsupported-format.png)

- Click **Download** and open the file with an app on your computer. The button appears only when you're allowed to download the file: a share link can turn downloads off.
- With Drime Desktop running on your computer, you can also open it directly in an app. See [Open a file in a new tab, Quick view or an app on your computer](https://drime.cloud/support/drive/open-in).

The formats Drime previews are listed in [File types you can preview in Drime](https://drime.cloud/support/drive/supported-file-types). For photos, videos, audio and ebooks, see [A file won't open or play](https://drime.cloud/support/drive/file-format-support).

## This file is too large to preview

**This file is too large to preview.** appears when a text or code file is over 20 MB, or an RTF file over 5 MB. Download the file to open it on your computer.

Other types have their own preview limits:

| File type | Preview limit |
| --- | --- |
| Markdown | 5 MB |
| Outlook messages (.msg) | 80 MB |
| EPUB ebooks | 500 MB: beyond that, **This book is too large to open here.** |

## There was an issue previewing this file

**There was an issue previewing this file** means Drime couldn't read the content of a text, code or RTF file. Close the preview and open it again. If the message comes back, download the file.

## This preview couldn’t be loaded

**This preview couldn’t be loaded.**, with **A part of the app failed to load. Reloading usually fixes it.**, means part of the Drime app didn't load in your browser. Click **Reload page**.

## Preview unavailable

**Preview unavailable** on an image or a video means your browser can't decode it, for example a camera RAW format Drime doesn't support. Download the file to open it on your computer. See [A file won't open or play](https://drime.cloud/support/drive/file-format-support).

## A Word, Excel or PowerPoint file doesn't open

Office files open in the Office editor inside Drime. If you see **Could not load the document editor.**, or the document opens read-only, see [Office document problems](https://drime.cloud/support/troubleshooting/office-document-problems).

## Open the file another way

Right-click the file and choose **Open in**: **Open in new tab** opens the preview in a new tab, and for a PDF, **Open in** followed by your browser's name opens it in your browser's viewer. See [Open a file in a new tab, Quick view or an app on your computer](https://drime.cloud/support/drive/open-in).

## Next steps

- [Preview files in your browser](https://drime.cloud/support/drive/preview-files)
- [File types you can preview in Drime](https://drime.cloud/support/drive/supported-file-types)
- [A video won't play](https://drime.cloud/support/troubleshooting/video-wont-play)