Issue Showing a Local HTML file in Safari iOS 14

Software
1

I have an HTML file that I store in an iCloud folder. Under the previous iPadOS (13), I could run a shortcut to display this html file in Safari. Under iOS 14, I cannot do this.

As near as I can tell by reviews on the Apple forum and StackExchange, this issues is related to one of two possible limitations.

  • Safari iOS can no longer display html files that are stored locally (i.e. in iCloud).
  • Safari iOS can no longer display html files that do not have a specific security protocol flag.

I have searched for an option with an HTML file viewer on the App store but, the viewer does not open itself to being called with Shortcuts.

Has anyone had this problem and found a way to get around it? Ideally, I would like to have simply a substitution for the Shortcut call that opens an html file in Safari. I have the ability to change to template file that generates the html, adding or updating headers as needed.

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JJW

2

I have no problem viewing simple html files stored on my iCloud Drive. Have you tried displaying it without using the shortcut?

3

No. In fact, the issue is more complicated. At one point, I opened the HTML file with PDFExpert as a test. Now, that html file in my iCloud folder will only open with PDFExpert. And nothing shows there either. However, on my macOS, I can open the file with Safari and see it as a Webpage.

–
JJW

4

I have a similar problem with some NAS storage devices, older routers and self hosted servers for private use.
The only way around it is using Chrome, lately using Firefox more often.

You have to accept that the site is not save and open it via the “advanced” option.

Guess it has to do with the increased security in Safari that only will accept https with a valid ssl cert.

5

can you read the file through shortcuts? (read html to text -> render in preview window?)

1 Like
6

I can convert the HTML and view.

I have validated the HTML through on on-line parsing service. I can view the HTML in other iPad apps (DevonThink, PDFExpert).

I have also discovered that the HTML file will NOT render in QuickLook on macOS even though it will render fully with Safari on macOS. I suspect that this may also contribute to the issue. Perhaps Safari on the iPadOS / iOS / macOS can no longer render local html files properly using QuickLook.

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JJW