Office Settings & Configuration

How to Stop Microsoft 365 from Opening PDFs and Office Files on Android

WPS Content Manager Oct 9, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to prevent the Microsoft 365 app from automatically launching and displaying its home screen when trying to view PDFs or Office documents on an Android device.

How to Stop Microsoft 365 from Automatically Opening PDFs on Android

Product: Microsoft 365 App
Device & OS: Android
Scenario: Opening locally stored or cloud-hosted PDFs and Word documents on an Android smartphone.
Observed behavior: The Microsoft 365 app intercepts the file opening process and sometimes forces its home page to display instead of directly showing the document, overriding other preferred reader apps.

Before you start

Ensure your Android operating system and the Microsoft 365 app are updated to their latest versions from the Google Play Store to avoid any glitch-related file routing behaviors.

Solution 1Recommended

Clear Microsoft 365 App Defaults

Resetting the default app preferences will prompt Android to ask you which application you want to use the next time you open a PDF or Office file.

By default, Android assigns specific apps to handle certain file types like PDFs or DOCX. If Microsoft 365 has taken over this permission, clearing the app defaults will let you choose a different default PDF reader.

Open Android Settings

Unlock your Android device and navigate to the 'Settings' app, then select 'Apps' or 'App Management'.

Locate Microsoft 365

Scroll through your list of installed applications and tap on 'Microsoft 365 (Office)'.

Clear Default Settings

Tap on 'Open by default' (or 'Set as default') and select the 'Clear Defaults' button.

Select a New App

Open a PDF file from your file manager. When the 'Open with' prompt appears, choose your preferred PDF reader and tap 'Always'.

Default App Reset: You will now have full control over which application opens your local documents and PDFs.

Solution 2

Clear Microsoft 365 App Data and Cache

If the app continues to force-open its home page when viewing files, clearing its cache and data can resolve the routing glitch.

Solution 3

Download Cloud Files Locally Before Opening

Files stored in OneDrive or SharePoint often trigger the Microsoft 365 app by design. Downloading them bypasses this behavior.

Use a Lightweight Alternative

Use WPS Office as Your Default PDF and Document Reader

WPS Office can act as your default application to quickly view and edit PDFs, Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and presentations on Android without the heavy interface of Microsoft 365.

1. Install WPS Office: Download and install WPS Office from the Google Play Store on your Android device.
2. Open a Document: Navigate to your file manager and tap on the PDF or Office file you wish to view.
3. Set as Default: When prompted with the 'Open with' dialog on your Android device, select WPS Office and tap 'Always' to set it as your default reader.

High compatibility with all standard Microsoft Office file formats (DOCX, XLSX, PPTX).Opens files directly without forcing you to navigate through a home screen.All-in-one suite covering Writer, Spreadsheet, Presentation, and a powerful PDF reader.Lightweight and free to use with a familiar, user-friendly mobile interface.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Microsoft 365 always open when I tap a PDF link?

This happens because Microsoft 365 is set as the default app for viewing PDF formats on your Android device. You can change this by going to Settings > Apps, finding Microsoft 365, and selecting 'Clear Defaults'.

Can I open OneDrive files without using the Microsoft 365 app?

Yes, but files hosted natively on OneDrive often default to Microsoft 365. To bypass this, download the file to your device's local storage first, then open it from your file manager with your preferred document reader.

Will uninstalling Microsoft 365 delete my documents?

No, uninstalling the Microsoft 365 app will not delete files stored locally on your device or in your OneDrive cloud storage. Your documents remain safe and can be opened with any compatible Office alternative like WPS Office.

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