'%3e%3cpath%20d='M8%200C12.4183%200%2016%203.58172%2016%208C16%2012.4183%2012.4183%2016%208%2016C3.58172%2016%200%2012.4183%200%208C0%203.58172%203.58172%200%208%200ZM11.6162%204.38379C11.2257%203.99337%2010.5927%203.99338%2010.2021%204.38379L8%206.58594L5.79785%204.38379C5.40732%203.99334%204.77429%203.99329%204.38379%204.38379C3.99331%204.77429%203.99335%205.40733%204.38379%205.79785L6.58594%208L4.38379%2010.2021C3.99348%2010.5927%203.99341%2011.2257%204.38379%2011.6162C4.77426%2012.0066%205.40734%2012.0065%205.79785%2011.6162L8%209.41406L10.2021%2011.6162C10.5927%2012.0066%2011.2257%2012.0067%2011.6162%2011.6162C12.0067%2011.2257%2012.0066%2010.5927%2011.6162%2010.2021L9.41406%208L11.6162%205.79785C12.0066%205.40735%2012.0066%204.77429%2011.6162%204.38379Z'%20fill='%23080E17'%20fill-opacity='0.46'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cdefs%3e%3cclipPath%20id='clip0_3761_713'%3e%3crect%20width='16'%20height='16'%20fill='white'/%3e%3c/clipPath%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e)
How to Fix PDF Files Not Opening in Viva Engage on Android
Question details
The user is unable to open PDF attachments within the Viva Engage application on an Android device, despite the files working properly on other platforms.
- Product
- Viva Engage
- Device & OS
- Android
- Scenario
- Attempting to view PDF attachments shared in Viva Engage posts or messages on an Android mobile device.
- Observed behavior
- PDF files fail to open or preview in the Viva Engage Android app, even though the exact same files open successfully in Microsoft Teams, desktop browsers, and on iPhones.
Ensure your Android device has a dedicated PDF viewer app installed and verify that your Viva Engage app is updated to the latest version in the Google Play Store.
Isolate the App Issue and Report to Microsoft
Since this is a known bug affecting the Android version of Viva Engage, isolating the exact conditions and finding a workaround will help you maintain productivity while Microsoft resolves the issue.
Community users have confirmed that PDF files open perfectly in Teams, on desktop computers, and on iPhones. This points to an isolated app bug within the Viva Engage application for Android rather than a corrupted file.
Check if the issue happens with all PDF files or just specific ones. Try opening other attachment types (like Word or Excel documents) in the Viva Engage Android app to see if they are also affected.
As a temporary workaround, open an Incognito or Private browsing tab on your Android device's web browser, log into Viva Engage via the web interface, and attempt to open the PDF there.
Ask colleagues who use Android devices if they are experiencing the exact same failure when tapping on PDF attachments in their Viva Engage feed.
Gather any error messages you receive. Submit a support ticket through your Microsoft 365 Admin Center or use the in-app feedback feature to report this confirmed Android mobile-app issue to the developers.
View and Manage Downloaded PDFs Seamlessly with WPS Office
While Microsoft works on fixing the Viva Engage Android bug, you can bypass the issue by downloading your files and opening them with WPS Office. WPS Office is a highly compatible, free, and lightweight alternative that easily handles PDFs, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files on any mobile device.
- 1. Download the PDF: Tap the download or save icon next to the PDF attachment in Viva Engage instead of trying to preview it directly.
- 2. Open WPS Office: Launch the WPS Office app on your Android device and navigate to the 'Files' or 'Recent' tab.
- 3. View your document: Locate the downloaded PDF in your device's Downloads folder and tap to open it smoothly within WPS Office.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do PDFs open on my iPhone but not on my Android device?
This is due to a specific bug within the Viva Engage application coded for Android. The iOS and Windows versions of the app utilize different rendering engines and codebase branches, which is why the attachments work fine on those platforms.
Is this issue related to my phone's default PDF viewer?
Not usually. The issue occurs within the Viva Engage app's internal previewer failing to hand off the file properly. However, ensuring you have a reliable PDF reader installed and downloading the file manually is a good workaround.
Does this PDF error affect Microsoft Teams as well?
No, users have consistently reported that the exact same PDF files open without any issues in the Microsoft Teams Android app, isolating the problem specifically to the Viva Engage Android app.
