Preview a file
Open an image or PDF stored in Files in a full-size viewer without downloading it, and learn what happens for file types that can't be previewed.
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Previewing lets you look at the contents of a file straight from the Files area without downloading it to your computer first. A preview opens the file in a full-size window layered over the file list, so you can check a drawing, specification, or photo in a few seconds and then carry on browsing.
Use a preview when you need to read a file rather than keep it: confirming you are about to attach the correct revision of a drawing, glancing at a reference photo before releasing a job, or checking a supplier PDF. Image previews have a Download button. PDF previews have Open original PDF, which opens the file in another tab where your browser can save it. File types that cannot be shown in the browser offer a download prompt.
Before you start
To preview a file you need:
- To be signed in to Bulk and working in an entity (a plant or site).
- Access to the folder that contains the file. Folders in Files have their own access controls, so you can only open and preview files inside folders you are allowed to see. If you try to open a folder you don't have access to, Bulk shows the message "You don't have access to this folder" and does not open it.
There is no separate "preview" permission. If you can see a file in a folder, you can preview it.
What you can preview
Inline preview supports two kinds of file:
- Images — any image file (for example JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP). The image is shown scaled to fit the window.
- PDFs — opened in the browser's built-in PDF viewer, where you can scroll through pages and zoom using the browser's own controls.
Any other file type — for example a Word document, an Excel spreadsheet, a CSV, or a ZIP archive — cannot be shown in the browser. Opening one of these takes you down the download path described below instead.
Open a preview
- Open Files from the left navigation.
- Select a folder in the sidebar and navigate to the file you want to view. You can switch between the icon grid and the list view, and use the search box to narrow the folder down.
- Open the file using whichever method suits you:
- Double-click the file in the grid or list.
- Select the file and press Enter.
- Right-click the file and choose Preview from the menu. The Preview action only appears for images and PDFs; for other file types the menu shows Download instead.
If the file is an image or PDF, it opens in the preview window. If it is any other type, Bulk asks whether you want to download it (see Files that can't be previewed).
Inside the preview window
The preview window shows:
- For a PDF, the original filename in the header and Open original PDF in the footer. The PDF appears in an embedded browser viewer. Available page and zoom controls depend on your browser.
- For an image, the display name and original filename in the header, a Download button, and the image scaled to fit.
To close the preview, press Escape or click outside the window. Closing the preview returns you to the same folder and selection you were in — nothing about the file is changed by previewing it.
Files that can't be previewed
When you open a file that isn't an image or PDF, Bulk shows a Download file? prompt instead of a preview. It reads: "[file name]" cannot be previewed in the browser. Download it now? Choose Download to save the file to your computer, or Cancel to go back to the folder without downloading.
This keeps a single, predictable action for every file: previewable types open in the viewer, and everything else offers a download in one step.
Example: checking a procedure at Gotham Applied Sciences
Bruce Wayne keeps manufacturing instructions in Gotham Machining, within Standard Operating Procedures at Gotham Applied Sciences. Cell Restart and Coolant Setup are stored as PDFs, alongside folders for drawings and approved documents.
Before restarting a machining cell, Bruce opens Gotham Machining and double-clicks Cell Restart. When the browser renders the PDF, he can read the procedure and then close the preview to return to the folder. Open original PDF is available if he needs to read or save the original in another tab.
Opening Wayne Enterprises Production Start-Up Guide.md in the parent folder shows Download file? instead. Choosing Cancel returns to the folder.
Feature state and limitations
Previewing files is generally available.
- Only images and PDFs preview inline. All other file types offer a download instead. There is no inline viewer for Office documents, CSVs, or archives.
- Preview is read-only. You cannot annotate, edit, or comment on a file from the preview window. Save the original from your browser or use the image preview's Download control if you need to change it elsewhere.
- PDF rendering depends on your browser. PDFs use the browser's built-in viewer, so page navigation and zoom controls follow whatever your browser provides. If the embedded viewer stays blank, use Open original PDF to try the original in another tab.
- A preview needs a working file link. If Bulk cannot produce a link to the stored file, opening it shows the message "Preview is unavailable for this file" instead of a preview (see Troubleshooting).
Troubleshooting
- "Preview is unavailable for this file." Bulk could not produce a link to the stored file, so it cannot be previewed or downloaded at that moment. Refresh the page and try again. If the file was only just uploaded, give it a moment to finish processing before reopening it.
- A "Download file?" prompt appears instead of a preview. This is expected: the file is not an image or PDF and cannot be shown in the browser. Choose Download to view it in a suitable application on your computer.
- "You don't have access to this folder." The folder holding the file is restricted and you are not a member. Ask a colleague who manages that folder to grant you access before you can browse to and preview its files.