"Can't open file" when trying to open downloaded files?

[Bedubyajay]

My Galaxy S4 running on 4.3 will no longer open downloaded files. When I go to Downloads and touch the screen 'can't open file' appears despite the fact that I have Acrobat Reader installed in respect of pdf files and another viewer for other formats. This problem appears to have started in the past month. There is no problem so far as attachments to emails which open fine, its just files downloaded from websites.
Any ideas?

 

[zkSharks]

re: "Can't open file" when trying to open downloaded files?

It looks like some have had similar issues in the past, but that may be unrelated. Have you noticed if it occurs with specific file types? You might try the 'clear cache' and 'clear data' options on the Downloads app and Download Manager and see if things behave normally after that.

 

[kuishux]

Can you open the file via the file Manager. Im having the same issue from my company site and DOC files. If i open via downloader, i get "Cannot Open file" If I open via File Manager, it works fine.

 

[pollensa1946]

Same problem here...
http://forums.androidcentral.com/ge...roid-determine-how-open-file.html#post3652389

 

[Aftab Marikar]

After searching the whole day I found this:
https://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=64267

It says the HTTP headers need to be set properly in order for the download manager to recognize the file, even if the extension is ".pdf", so I tried that with a PHP based website I am developing.

Here is the code which I used to force the download of the PDF from my site.

header('Content-Type: "application/pdf"');
header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="thefile.pdf"');
header("Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary");
header('Expires: 0');
header('Pragma: no-cache');
header("Content-Length: ".strlen($data));

But this did NOT work!! I even tried stopping the download manager app, clearing the data and cache, but nothing seems to work.

Does anyone have a download link that works so I could check the headers?

 

[jesse68]

I had the same problem I had my polaris office 5 and HP service plug in turned off. Once I turned it back on I was able to open pdf files on my galaxy s4

(side note.... I am running KitKat on my phone)

 

[Ezequiel Castillo]

I downloaded file mánager and went to downloads then went to the apk that i needed to open and it warks .. Try it..

 

[Umar Hussain1]

Re:

Ezequiel please can you give me full detail ASAP I have a few questions
Which file manager do you download?
I've downloaded one anyway so as I'm on it I still can't view the file I can't open it does not exist at all so can you help me bro?

 

[knadsady]

+1 For using File Manager app instead of built-in Downloads app.
Download from the Play Store, search "File Manager".
It is developed by Cheetah Mobile, app is named "File Manager (Explorer)"

 

[problem solve]

All you need to do is download rar for android at play store after that go to downloads and click on that file and booooom your done

 

[tilleyphoneman]

rar for android rocks man. no problems after the dowload, thanks

 

[Mallikadevi Sigamani]

My Galaxy S4 running on 4.3 will no longer open downloaded files. When I go to Downloads and touch the screen 'can't open file' appears despite the fact that I have Acrobat Reader installed in respect of pdf files and another viewer for other formats. This problem appears to have started in the past month. There is no problem so far as attachments to emails which open fine, its just files downloaded from websites.
Any ideas?

I cannot open the file after downloading why please advice me whatcanido

 

[Murad Hattar]

Thank you Kuishux I signed up just for that . Seems like the issue started when I downloaded "ES file viewer" to be able to access windows shares from android phone over wifi . Looks like the app has a handle on the PDF files that it won't release for the regular "downloads" app to be able to open the file.
CHeers,

 

[Rukbat]

There's no "downloads" app - Play Store or your web browser do the download, and an app designed to read that type of file (a pdf reader, in this case) reads it. ES doesn't prevent pdf readers from reading pdf files. But, if you have the default "reader" for pdf files set as ES, it'll just open and show you the file, it won't open the file and read it (because it's a file viewer [like Windows Explorer], not a pdf reader)

If you don't have an app that can read the type of file, you can't read it. Android doesn't come with a pdf reader.

 

[Jarad Beeby]

Same but on computer

 

[amitmadan]

I disabled Polaris Viewer 5. Downloaded Adobe Acrobat from play store. Now I am not facing the issue.

 

[Malcolm Puttock]

On my lenovo A10-70 tablet the brightness keeps fading. And I have to keep changing in display settings. What am I doing wrong?

Also can't open downloaded files?

 

[JaydeStarr13]

My Galaxy S4 running on 4.3 will no longer open downloaded files. When I go to Downloads and touch the screen 'can't open file' appears despite the fact that I have Acrobat Reader installed in respect of pdf files and another viewer for other formats. This problem appears to have started in the past month. There is no problem so far as attachments to emails which open fine, its just files downloaded from websites.
Any ideas?

Yeah, way late on this one. I know, I know. I'm on a Nexus 6 running Android 6.0.1, not rooted. Still, I'd had this problem, downloaded a File Manager, and went into my downloads to try to open an eBook. Lo and behold, for some reason the stock download manager didn't pop up the permissions prompt. In my case, I prefer to use my Kindle app for everything. It never got (needed?) permissions for reading files. Granted that permission, and the file opened. Just figured I'd throw in my two cents.

 

[gokarengo]

Can you open the file via the file Manager. Im having the same issue from my company site and DOC files. If i open via downloader, i get "Cannot Open file" If I open via File Manager, it works fine.

Thank you so much. I appreciate it.

 

[miamistar22]

I've gotten a PDF file from a detention center which I need to open. Cant open so I saved on drive and I can look at application but can't fill out. I went to info and it stated it was a word document. How can I get this open helppp!!. Uploaded a lot of PDF readers but it never showed my PDF file at all, but I can only save to drive still doesn't help. I'm doing this off my phone What do you think?