---
description: Open files with the device's default application, such as PDF, DOCX, XLSX, and more on Android, iOS, and Web.
title: Capacitor File Opener Plugin for Android & iOS - Capawesome
image: https://capawesome.io/docs/assets/images/social/plugins/file-opener.png
---
[ Skip to content](#capawesome-teamcapacitor-file-opener)
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# @capawesome-team/capacitor-file-opener[¶](#capawesome-teamcapacitor-file-opener "Permanent link")
Capacitor plugin to open a file with the default application.
[  ](https://cloud.capawesome.io/)
## Features[¶](#features "Permanent link")
We are proud to offer one of the most complete and feature-rich Capacitor plugins for opening files. Here are some of the key features:
* 🖥️ **Cross-platform**: Supports Android, iOS, and Web.
* 📄 **Multiple file formats**: Open various file types with their default applications.
* 🌐 **Web support**: Open files using Blob objects on Web platform.
* 📱 **Native integration**: Uses system file associations on mobile platforms.
* 📁 **Flexible paths**: Support for file paths and content URIs on Android.
* 🔍 **MIME type detection**: Automatic MIME type detection or manual specification.
* 🔁 **Up-to-date**: Always supports the latest Capacitor version.
Missing a feature? Just [open an issue](https://github.com/capawesome-team/capacitor-plugins/issues) and we'll take a look!
## Newsletter[¶](#newsletter "Permanent link")
Stay up to date with the latest news and updates about the Capawesome, Capacitor, and Ionic ecosystem by subscribing to our [Capawesome Newsletter](https://cloud.capawesome.io/newsletter/).
## Compatibility[¶](#compatibility "Permanent link")
| Plugin Version | Capacitor Version | Status |
| -------------- | ----------------- | -------------- |
| 8.x.x | \>=8.x.x | Active support |
| 7.x.x | 7.x.x | Deprecated |
| 6.x.x | 6.x.x | Deprecated |
| 5.x.x | 5.x.x | Deprecated |
## Installation[¶](#installation "Permanent link")
You can use our **AI-Assisted Setup** to install the plugin. Add the [Capawesome Skills](https://github.com/capawesome-team/skills) to your AI tool using the following command:
`[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-0-1)npx skills add capawesome-team/skills --skill capacitor-plugins
`
Then use the following prompt:
`` [](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-1-1)Use the `capacitor-plugins` skill from `capawesome-team/skills` to install the `@capawesome-team/capacitor-file-opener` plugin in my project.
``
If you prefer **Manual Setup**, install the plugin by running the following commands and follow the platform-specific instructions below:
`[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-2-1)npm install @capawesome-team/capacitor-file-opener
[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-2-2)npx cap sync
`
### Android[¶](#android "Permanent link")
You need to specify the directories that contain the files you want to open. To do this, create a new file named `file_paths.xml` in the `res/xml` directory of your Android project (e.g. `android/app/src/main/res/xml/file_paths.xml`). Here is an example of the content of the file:
`[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-3-1)
[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-3-2)
[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-3-3)
[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-3-4)
[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-3-5)
[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-3-6)
[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-3-7)
[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-3-8)
`
More information can be found in the [Android documentation](https://developer.android.com/training/secure-file-sharing/setup-sharing#DefineMetaData).
#### Variables[¶](#variables "Permanent link")
If needed, you can define the following project variable in your app’s `variables.gradle` file to change the default version of the dependency:
* `$androidxDocumentFileVersion` version of `androidx.documentfile:documentfile` (default: `1.1.0`)
This can be useful if you encounter dependency conflicts with other plugins in your project.
## Configuration[¶](#configuration "Permanent link")
No configuration required for this plugin.
## Demo[¶](#demo "Permanent link")
A working example can be found here: [robingenz/capacitor-plugin-demo](https://github.com/robingenz/capacitor-plugin-demo)
| Android | iOS |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
|  |  |
## Usage[¶](#usage "Permanent link")
`[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-4-1)import { FileOpener } from '@capawesome-team/capacitor-file-opener';
[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-4-2)
[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-4-3)const open = async () => {
[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-4-4) await FileOpener.openFile({
[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-4-5) path: 'content://com.android.providers.downloads.documents/document/msf%3A1000000073',
[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-4-6) });
[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-4-7)};
`
## API[¶](#api "Permanent link")
* [openFile(...)](#openfile)
* [Interfaces](#interfaces)
### openFile(...)[¶](#openfile "Permanent link")
`[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-5-1)openFile(options: OpenFileOptions) => Promise
`
Open a file with the default application.
| Param | Type |
| ----------- | ----------------------------------- |
| **options** | [OpenFileOptions](#openfileoptions) |
**Since:** 0.0.1
---
### Interfaces[¶](#interfaces "Permanent link")
#### OpenFileOptions[¶](#openfileoptions "Permanent link")
| Prop | Type | Description | Since |
| ------------ | ------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- |
| **blob** | Blob | The blob instance of the file to open. Only available on Web. | 6.1.0 |
| **path** | string | The path of the file. Only available on Android and iOS. | 0.0.1 |
| **mimeType** | string | The mime type of the file. If not specified, the mime type will be determined. Only available on Android and iOS. | 0.0.1 |
## Changelog[¶](#changelog "Permanent link")
See [CHANGELOG.md](https://github.com/capawesome-team/capacitor-plugins/blob/main/packages/file-opener/CHANGELOG.md).
## License[¶](#license "Permanent link")
See [LICENSE](https://github.com/capawesome-team/capacitor-plugins/blob/main/packages/file-opener/LICENSE).
May 17, 2026
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