Visual Space manual, Docs, Files And Previews

Files in Documents form part of a space's shared memory. A direct upload can live alongside images and videos collected from Chat or articles, so useful material remains discoverable after the conversation or publication where it first appeared has moved on. The library accepts many everyday file formats, but it does not pretend that every file can be displayed in the same way. **Preview availability changes how a file is presented, not whether an accepted file remains useful.** A file without a

The library accepts many everyday file formats, but it does not pretend that every file can be displayed in the same way. Preview availability changes how a file is presented, not whether an accepted file remains useful. A file without a visual preview still has a named card, a type, a location, and a way to download it.

Where Files Come From

Files can reach Documents through several everyday workflows:

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Direct uploads place files from your device into the space area or folder you are browsing.

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Chat attachments collect shared images, videos, and supported generic files into Documents for later discovery.

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Article media keeps images used in articles represented in the library as file entries as well as in their original article placement.

This makes Documents broader than an upload tray or media gallery. It is the place to return to when you remember the community context of a file but not the message, article, or moment when it was first shared.

Collected files follow the same space-area structure and access boundaries as the rest of the library. For help understanding that structure, see The Documents Library and Folders. To add files yourself, use Upload Files and Folders.

What Opens From A File Card

The result of selecting a file depends on its format. Images and videos have the richest in-app experience: selecting their cards opens a lightbox, where you can inspect an image or play a video without leaving the library context.

The browser can open a focused set of generic formats directly from the card:

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PDF files

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Plain text files with the TXT extension

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Markdown files with the MD extension

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JSON files

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YAML files with the YAML or YML extension

Other accepted generic files do not open merely because their card is selected. Use the card's Download control to retrieve the original file and open it with a suitable app. The download control also gives you a direct route to the original when a supported browser preview is not the experience you need.

Previews Help You Recognize A File

A card preview is a visual aid, not a converted copy of the document. When available, a PDF card can show its first page. Readable text and project files can show a small image of their opening content, while simple table files such as CSV and TSV can receive a similar generated preview.

These generated previews make a folder easier to scan, but they do not expand the list of formats that open in the browser. For example, a CSV card may show an image of its first rows and still require Download to open the actual table file.

Preview creation is best effort. If a preview cannot be produced, the original upload can still succeed. Documents then shows a fallback card with the filename and a clear extension label, such as PDF, DOCX, or ZIP. This preserves the important outcome: people can identify, organize, search for, share, and download the accepted file even when its contents cannot be shown on the card.

!Design Library showing a rendered preview for an uploaded image file

A rendered image preview makes the file recognizable while it remains anchored to its Documents folder.

Private Files Stay Within Their Area

A file inherits access from the space, subspace, or activity that contains it. Files in a private area use protected media and file access, and only people who can enter that area can open or download them. Moving into another ordinary folder within the same area changes organization, not access.

A preview is never a shortcut around privacy. A thumbnail, search result, or direct file link still follows the access rules of the file's owning area. Moving a file to another subspace or activity in the same space is more consequential because the destination area's access rules then apply. Organizing Documents explains how location and inherited access work together.

Find A File Again

Search includes files even when their contents cannot be previewed or read by the browser. The filename and available document metadata remain useful discovery signals, which means an accepted archive or office file does not disappear from search simply because it has an extension card.

When location information is available, opening a result returns you to the file's containing folder in Documents rather than dropping you at the top of the activity. This preserves the surrounding context and makes nearby material easier to inspect. Access is checked when the result opens, so a stale result or shared link cannot reveal a file after your access to its area changes.

Good filenames matter in a growing library. Use a name that another member can recognize without opening the file, then place it in the folder where its surrounding work lives. See The Documents Library and Folders for browsing guidance and Organizing Documents for moving established material.

Choose Preview Or Download

Use the available action according to the outcome you need:

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Open an image or video when you want a quick in-app look without downloading it first.

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Open a browser-previewable file when a PDF or supported text format can be read conveniently in the browser.

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Download the original when a generic file does not open from the card, when you need to edit it, or when a specialist app provides the right experience.

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Use the fallback card to confirm the name and format when no visual preview is available.

If a file needs to move into a conversation, you can share it from Documents rather than uploading a second copy. Share Documents in Chat covers that handoff. Storage limits and upload feedback are covered in Uploads and Storage.

Common Questions

Does a missing preview mean the upload failed?

No. Preview generation is separate from keeping the original file. An accepted upload can appear with an extension card when no preview is available.

Why does one generic file open when I select it while another does nothing?

PDF, TXT, Markdown, JSON, and YAML/YML files can open in the browser. Other generic formats use the dedicated Download control so selecting a card does not trigger an unexpected download.

Can a table file have a preview without opening in the browser?

Yes. Simple table files such as CSV and TSV can receive generated card previews when available, but the original file is opened through Download.

Is the preview the same as the original file?

No. A generated card preview is only a visual summary. Download the original when you need its complete contents or want to work with it in another app.

Where do files from Chat and articles go?

They are collected into Documents within the relevant space area so they remain findable beyond the original message or article. You can browse and organize them like other files available in that area.

Can someone use a search result or direct link to open a private file?

Only if they still have access to the private space area that owns the file. Search and direct links preserve location; they do not bypass access rules.

Will search find a file that has no readable preview?

It can still use the filename and available document metadata. Opening the result returns to its Documents location, including its folder when that context is available.