User level: Level 1 (9 points)preview app doesn’t open any of the files I have in the files app except for pdf’s. In fact, the two apps look the same except for the magnifying glass in the preview app. What is the point of preview if I can’t use it to open any files?
Posted on Sep 30, 2026 8:15 AM
User level: Level 10 (131,878 points)Sep 30, 2026 10:12 AM in response to gdalmy
Apple's Preview application will open most compatible PDFs and supported image types. That is what it is designed to do.
Otherwise, your "any files" will either require a specific other application intended to open those file types, or supported file types may previewed by selecting them and choosing Quick Look from the contextual menu.
User level: Level 10 (131,878 points)Sep 30, 2026 12:19 PM in response to gdalmy
I explained Preview's purpose. The Files app offers a secondary menu where it offers applications to open other types of files and lists those that may open the file. It also has Quick Look which may offer a view of the selected file, but is not the Preview app itself.
iPhone User Guide - Apple Support
Cozy up to this information and look under the Apps category for Files and Preview.
User level: Level 1 (9 points)Sep 30, 2026 10:31 AM in response to VikingOSX
Just odd to me that the files app opens all these, the notes app scans documents. Why would it not support the same file types as Files? Not sure what the purpose of the Preview app even is.
Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256367918