“No File to Preview” - Bug or Error

Question

“No File to Preview” - Bug or Error

When trying to access movies or photo’s on an external SSD using the Folders capability on my iPad or iPhone I get a Black screen with the error “No File to Preview”.

The screen locks and I have to close the preview app and reopen to see files again.

IF, in the folder I select the file and the select the “Quick Look” the file is accessible and playable.

This has only happened since the IOS26 release as it was fine before.

I do not have the issue when accessing the same files from the same source connected to my MacBook Pro.

What is causing this? I suspect a bug as there are many references online about this issue.

iPad Pro, iPadOS 26

Posted on Oct 8, 2025 11:13 AM

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Answer 1

Oct 8, 2025 12:26 PM in response to SwissSnowMonkey

Further analysis identifies a range of files and all the files that will suffer this bug are greyed out in the Preview app in the Apple ecosystem.

Files identified;

All movie files
All picture files
Some pdf files - some are ok, some not
Numbers files - some are ok, some not

Any files that cause this bug can be copied to the iPad drive itself. They can then be accessed normally.

The Preview app does not have an “open with” option. This would be a work around in the short term.

This will seriously impact millions of content creators, photographers and film makers, who rely on the functionality of the Files app to quickly review large amounts of data / files for use in apps like iMovie. This cannot be done now, without copying the file to the iPad drive itself, which could / is often very limited in available space.

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Answer 2

Nov 10, 2025 8:15 PM in response to SwissSnowMonkey

I also have this problem. Clicking on the FOLDERS icon in the dock I am told NO FILE TO PREVIEW. iPad 13 in M4. Anyone yet have a solution?

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