How can I disable the automatic opening of documents in shares with public links?

ℹ️ Support
1

The Basics

  • Nextcloud Server version (e.g., 29.x.x):
    • 32.03
  • Operating system and version (e.g., Ubuntu 24.04):
    • Debia 13
  • Web server and version (e.g, Apache 2.4.25):
    • Apache
  • Reverse proxy and version _(e.g. nginx 1.27.2)
    • Pound 4.2
  • PHP version (e.g, 8.3):
    • 8.2
  • Is this the first time you’ve seen this error? (Yes / No):
    • Yes
  • When did this problem seem to first start?
    • after upgrade
  • Installation method (e.g. AlO, NCP, Bare Metal/Archive, etc.)
    • archive
  • Are you using CloudfIare, mod_security, or similar? (Yes / No)
    • no

Summary of the issue you are facing:

When an external user opens a public link with an Office file or a PDF, Nextcloud automatically opens the editor instead of just showing the download page.
This started happening after upgrading from version 30 to version 32. How can I disable automatic editing?
The trick of adding /download to the URL does not work.

1 Like
2

Same problem here, I have to close the view before I can usr the shared link with the hidden cross at the top right corner:

Capture d’écran_2026-01-14_16-54-16
Capture d’écran_2026-01-14_16-54-161900×714 96.6 KB

3

I’m seeing the exact same behavior, and at this point it’s very clear what’s happening on the frontend:

  • Public share links now immediately open the Viewer overlay

  • The Viewer is opened with no valid file context

  • Result: infinite spinner / empty viewer

  • The underlying file list is there, but completely blocked by the overlay

This started very recently and lines up with multiple reports in the last ~12–24 hours.

Key points:

  • No server-side config changes

  • Happens across browsers and clients

  • Authenticated users are not affected

  • Only public (unauthenticated) shares

So effectively:

Public share links are currently broken — external users just get a spinner.

At this point I’m less interested in configuration toggles (there doesn’t appear to be one that helps) and more interested in:

  • Is this a known regression?

  • Is there an existing GitHub issue or PR tracking it?

  • Does anyone have a workaround, even a temporary one?

Right now, sending out a public link results in an unusable page for the recipient.

4

Issues with public shares seem to be caused by the Whiteboard app. Also see here: When Whiteboard is active, public shares don't work any longer · Issue #940 · nextcloud/whiteboard · GitHub

If you disable Whiteboard, public shares should work again.

1 Like
5

At Github a fix for the problem in the Whiteboard app was already announced, so you should be able to use it again soon.

1 Like
6

Thanks, it fixes the issue for me.

7

Confirming this fix — disabling the Whiteboard app resolved the spinning/blank public share issue for me. I had been chasing this for a bit and didn’t realize it was tied to Whiteboard. Thanks for calling it out, much appreciated!

8

Whiteboard 1.5.2 was just released and fixes this issue. So when you got this version installed, you can enable it again and public shares still work as expected.