Skip to main content

Upload works but preview fails

The file uploaded successfully but can't be displayed in the viewer.

Common causes​

Corrupted file​

The file may have been damaged during creation or transfer.

Solution:

  • Try re-saving the original document
  • Re-export from the source application
  • Ask for a new copy from the client

Password-protected​

Moby can't preview password-protected files.

Solution:

  1. Open the file locally
  2. Remove the password protection
  3. Save as a new file
  4. Re-upload

Unsupported PDF features​

Some complex PDFs with unusual features may not preview correctly:

  • 3D content
  • Complex JavaScript
  • Unusual encryption
  • Corrupt internal structure

Solution:

  • Print to PDF to create a simpler version
  • Use Adobe Acrobat to "Save As Optimized PDF"

Very large PDFs​

Files with hundreds of pages or many high-resolution images may time out.

Solution:

  • Split into smaller files
  • Reduce image resolution

Workarounds​

Even if preview fails, you can often still:

  1. Download the file — View it locally
  2. Run extraction — AI extraction may still work
  3. Use in TOD — File can still be matched and extracted

When to contact support​

Contact support if:

  • Many files from the same source fail
  • Preview worked before but stopped working
  • You get a specific error message