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In Google Chrome's minimalist brilliance, they seem to have forgotten a menu item to launch a dialog box to open a local file.

How to get around this?

I don't want to drag local files onto the Chrome window (which works) or type file:// in the address bar (also works). I want my dialog box

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  • 2
    Out of curiousity, why did you delete your original answer?
    – Josh Hunt
    Commented Sep 11, 2009 at 9:41
  • Indeed, your solution was so elegantly simple :).
    – alex
    Commented Sep 11, 2009 at 9:44
  • I wanted to share the wealth.
    – dggoldst
    Commented Sep 11, 2009 at 10:16

4 Answers 4

Reset to default
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On OS X, you can choose "Open File" from the File menu, or use the ⌘ + O keyboard shortcut.

For Windows and Linux, you can use ctrl + O. This does not seem to be referenced anywhere in the application, so you can feel special about using it.

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  • There is no menu for Chrome. At least not on Windows.
    – Snark
    Commented Sep 11, 2009 at 9:42
  • Yeah, I don't know why I forgot that. Sorry.
    – Josh Hunt
    Commented Sep 11, 2009 at 9:44
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According to the Chrome Help Pages there are three ways to do this:

  1. Press Ctrl+O on your keyboard and browse for the file on your computer.
  2. Drag the file into Google Chrome from your computer desktop or folder. Your cursor displays a little '+' sign if the action is successful.
  3. Type the location, also known as the path, of the file in the address bar, then press Enter.
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  • 1
    wait a second ... there are Chrome help pages??? :)
    – dggoldst
    Commented Sep 11, 2009 at 12:35
  • Just press F1 to get to them.
    – David Webb
    Commented Sep 11, 2009 at 15:14
  • Options 2 and 3 are the only way I could get it to work on a Chromebook in tablet mode (no keyboard). Thank you.
    – srmark
    Commented May 17 at 11:49
2

Hit Ctrl-o and a magical, undocumented dialog box will appear.

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2
  • That's also the same shortcut for the other browsers of choice.
    – random ♦
    Commented Sep 11, 2009 at 9:05
  • 1
    Sure didn't leave any time between asking and answering.
    – random ♦
    Commented Sep 11, 2009 at 9:08
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Use Url Alias extension. Under "Alias" enter a/ or ag/ or b/ etc Under "Redirect To" dialog enter path to file

file:///C:/etc

Moreover it is a very handy extension in itself

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