How to Edit Documents on Dropbox

Quickly edit Office documents and spreadsheets without downloading them from Dropbox

Written by Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: March 5, 2023 Tested

This wikiHow teaches you how to edit a Microsoft Office document in your Dropbox without downloading it first.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using a Computer

1
Go to https://www.dropbox.com. You can use any web browser on your computer, such as Chrome or Firefox, to access Dropbox.
- If you’re not signed in to Dropbox, enter your login information to sign in now.
2
Click the document you want to edit. This opens a preview of the document.
- You can edit any Office document including spreadsheets, slide presentations, and word processing documents.^{[1]
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3
Click Open. It’s at the top-right corner of the document. This opens the document in the appropriate Microsoft Office Online app, such as Word Online (for documents) or Excel Online (for spreadsheets).
4
Make changes to the file. As you make your edits, your changes will be saved automatically to the file in your Dropbox.

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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using a Mobile Device

1
Open Dropbox. It’s the blue open box icon typically located on the home screen or in the app drawer (if you’re using an Android).
2
Tap the file you want to edit. This opens a preview of the file in the Dropbox app.^{[2]
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Research source}
- You can edit any Office document on your mobile device, including spreadsheets, slide presentations, and word processing documents.
- If you don’t have the editing app installed (e.g. Word, Excel, or PowerPoint), you’ll be prompted to install it shortly.
3
Tap Edit. One of two things will happen:
- If you already have the proper app installed (e.g. Excel to edit a spreadsheet), the file will open in that app.
- If you don’t have the required app, the App Store or Play Store page for the app will appear. Install it, return to the file in Dropbox, then tap Edit again to edit the document.
4
Make changes to the file. As you make your edits, your changes will be saved automatically to the file in your Dropbox.

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References

About This Article

Written by:

Nicole Levine, MFA

wikiHow Technology Writer

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Nicole Levine is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. She has more than 20 years of experience creating technical documentation and leading support teams at major web hosting and software companies. Nicole also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and teaches composition, fiction-writing, and zine-making at various institutions. This article has been viewed 49,864 times.

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Co-authors: 3

Updated: March 5, 2023

Views: 49,864

Categories: Dropbox

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