Opening a mapped Windows Explorer folder using HTML hyperlink from Microsoft Edge

Question

I'm trying to open mapped network folders from a simple LAN portal at work to get users to access shared files. Previously I used:

<a href = "file:///...">

This opens a Windows Explorer window in IE11 (and earlier) and a file browser tab in Chrome, but it has no effect when the hyperlink is clicked in Microsoft Edge. How can I give users folder access directly from Edge?

Solution 1

Edge requires mapped LAN locations to be specified in the UNC-format, while IE used to be more agnostic about it. For more information about UNC-paths check out this link.

<p><a href = "file:///P:\somenetworkfolder"> Some Network Folder (Only works in IE)</a></p>
<p><a href = "\\servername\path\somenetworkfolder"> Some Network Folder (Works in Edge and IE)</a></p>

Out of interest, if you want similar functionality in Chrome, you have to use an extension to grant the browser permission to open Windows Explorer. Check out the Local Explorer Chrome Extension, or write your own.

Solution 2

IE has a lot of legacy support and so it would still be able to do this in IE11. It was possible for windows explorer and internet explorer to interchange and switch as needed long ago.

Edge ditches a lot of legacy support in exchange for speed. This is something that was probably removed (and not likely to be added on in the future)

Comments

[BoltClock]

"It was possible for windows explorer and internet explorer to interchange and switch as needed long ago." One of my favorite features of IE up to IE6 on Windows XP.

[pbarranis]

I'm not able to get the second link (UNC path) to work in Edge; I get an error "Not allowed to load local resource". Is this a new change in the last 3 years or might I be doing something wrong? I'm able to get it sort of working with the "Enable local file links" Chrome extension.