Specific Numbers spreadsheet won't open or download

Question

Level 1

8 points

Specific Numbers spreadsheet won't open or download

I've tried to acces a sheet from the Numbers app that was used for the last time in December 2025 but the file is not accessible. I've tried to access the document via Ipad, Iphone and Macbook and always give different messages

"This spreadsheet could not be downloaded."

"Fetching asset failed" - "The device could not connect to the server"

"An error has occurred - The spreadsheet cannot be opened at this time. Please try again later."

I tried to download the document in different formats .pdf, excel, etc. and I get error too.

I can rename the file name and this change gets synced between devices.

I can open other new files and older ones

I tried duplicating the file on iCloud.com and the copies are still failing.

I've always used the Numbers app to open these files and they are sync to iCloud so I can't explain why it is broken.

Posted on Jan 20, 2026 5:30 PM

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Answer 1

MrHoffman

Level 10

146,575 points

Jan 20, 2026 8:34 PM in response to EMILIORTEGA

EMILIORTEGA wrote:

I see but how come it can be corrupted if it is a file that is opened with Numbers app only and it is stored in iCloud? I do not have any backup locally, do iCloud save different versions of the file so I can get a previous one ?

1: I don’t know how it was corrupted, and speculation isn’t going to be helpful here.

2: Nope. iCloud is a sync service, not a backup service.

Maybe within Numbers itself? Restore an earlier version of a spreadsheet in Numbers on Mac - Apple Support
How to back up: Archive or make copies of the information you store in iCloud - Apple Support
No reverting versions: Use iCloud.com to restore and recover iCloud information - Apple Support

But given the whole file seems corrupted, I’m not hopeful.

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Answer 2

MrHoffman

Level 10

146,575 points

Jan 20, 2026 5:36 PM in response to EMILIORTEGA

Can you access the document using iCloud directly?

Use Numbers on iCloud.com - Apple Support

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Answer 3

MrHoffman

Level 10

146,575 points

Jan 20, 2026 6:21 PM in response to EMILIORTEGA

That file would be corrupted, then. Hopefully, there is a backup copy saved elsewhere locally.

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Answer 4

EMILIORTEGA Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 20, 2026 5:40 PM in response to MrHoffman

Unfortunately it does not open either. I logged into iCloud.com in my browser and did the same process and I get the error

"An error has occurred - The spreadsheet cannot be opened at this time. Please try again later."

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Answer 5

EMILIORTEGA Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 20, 2026 6:27 PM in response to MrHoffman

I see but how come it can be corrupted if it is a file that is opened with Numbers app only and it is stored in iCloud? I do not have any backup locally, do iCloud save different versions of the file so I can get a previous one ?

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