Preview Word and PowerPoint files

Word and PowerPoint files open in the side panel as a read-only preview. Oda converts the file to a PDF on your computer first, so you read it in the same viewer as any PDF.

Open a Word or PowerPoint file

Open the file the same way as any other preview: click it in the Workspace files tab, a file reference in a message, or a file step in the chat.
Oda converts the file on your computer and opens the result in the PDF viewer, so reading, selection and zoom work as for a PDF.

The preview handles .doc, .docx, .ppt and .pptx. Spreadsheets open in their own viewer (Preview spreadsheets).
Opening, viewers and the pane's shared controls are covered in Preview files in the side panel; the PDF viewer itself is covered in Preview PDF files.

How the preview is made

Oda reads the file and converts it to a PDF on your computer. The preview is read-only: it never edits the original file.
While the conversion runs, the tab shows the usual loading indicator; when it finishes, the converted document opens in the PDF viewer.
For the conversion behind the preview, including its limits and failure reasons, see Preview Office documents.

When fonts are missing

When the converted document uses fonts that are not available on this computer, a warning appears in the preview header: Missing fonts: {count}. Click to view. It never opens by itself.
Click the warning for the list of missing font names. The list is titled Missing fonts and carries the note These fonts are unavailable for this preview. Text and layout may differ from the original document., with a Fonts: {count} line.
Close the list with Escape, the close control, or a click outside it; focus returns to the warning.
Reloading the preview closes any open list, and the notice follows the version that loads. A document without missing fonts shows no warning.

When a conversion does not finish

A conversion that cannot run or finish replaces the preview with an explanation and a Retry control:

Message	What it means
`Office previews are unavailable. Enable the document preview service on the computer running DataMind Oda.`	The document preview cannot run on this computer right now.
`This Office file cannot be previewed. It may be damaged, password protected, or have the wrong extension.`	The file could not be read as a Word or PowerPoint document.
`The Office file or converted PDF exceeds the preview size limit. Reduce the file size or adjust the preview configuration.`	The file, or the PDF made from it, is bigger than the preview can hold.
`Office conversion did not produce a usable PDF. Check the file and try again.`	The conversion finished without a readable result.
`Office conversion timed out. Try again.`	The conversion ran too long and stopped.
`Office preview is busy. Try again shortly.`	Too much is already converting.
`The file changed while being read. Reopen the preview.`	The file changed while the preview was preparing it, so the result was discarded.

Retrying can help when the preview was busy or a conversion timed out. A file that cannot be read needs checking in its usual application (Open files and folders in other apps).
A file that changed while being read is read again when you reopen the preview.

Questions, answered

How does Oda preview a Word or PowerPoint file?

Oda converts the file to a PDF on your computer and shows the result in the same viewer as PDFs, so reading, selection and zoom work as they do for a PDF. The preview never edits the original file.

Which Word and PowerPoint files can I preview?

.doc, .docx, .ppt and .pptx. Other formats open in their own viewers, for example Preview PDF files for PDFs and Preview spreadsheets for workbooks.

Why does the preview warn about missing fonts?

The converted document uses fonts that are not available on this computer, so text and layout may differ from the original. The warning reads Missing fonts: {count}. Click to view.; click it to see the names.

Does the missing-fonts notice open on its own?

No. It opens only when you click the warning. Close it with Escape, the close control, or a click outside it; focus returns to the warning. A document whose fonts are all available shows no warning.

The preview says my file cannot be previewed. What does that mean?

The message reads This Office file cannot be previewed. It may be damaged, password protected, or have the wrong extension. Open the file in its usual application to check it, and open the preview again.

Can I open the original document in Word or PowerPoint?

Yes. From the file's preview, Open starts the original in the app your computer uses for that type of file, and More ways to open offers another app. Open files and folders in other apps covers the choices.