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Is it safe to open local files in a web page?
The idea of a website editing files on your computer sounds risky, and it deserves a careful answer. Modern browsers designed this feature so that you stay in control. Here is how the permission model works and how you can verify what a page does.
You choose, the page cannot browse
A page cannot list your folders or open files by itself. It has to ask, the browser shows its own file picker, and you decide what to share. The page only receives access to what you picked. This is very different from installing a program that can read your whole account.
Reading and writing are separate
Reading a file and changing it are separate permissions. The browser can ask for write permission the first time you save, and it may ask again in a later session. You can say no and still read the file.
Some places are off limits
Browsers block folder-level access to sensitive locations, such as system directories, and Chrome also blocks Downloads. This limits what a malicious page could ask for even if you were careless.
How to check what a page does
- Look at the address. Make sure you are on the real domain and the connection uses HTTPS.
- Watch the network. Open your browser's developer tools, choose the Network tab, then open and edit a file. A local-only tool such as BookmarkFiles makes no requests that carry your file contents.
- Read the privacy policy. It should say plainly what is sent and stored. Ours is at /privacy/.
How to take access back
- Click the icon at the left of the address bar to open the site's settings, and look for file access entries to remove.
- Clear this site's data in your browser settings to forget the saved list and all handles.
- Remove a file from the list in BookmarkFiles with the x button. This only removes it from the list. The file stays where it is.
What BookmarkFiles does with your files
It reads the files you choose, shows them in an editor, and writes them back when you press Save. The list, folders and descriptions are kept in your browser. There is no account, and no file content is uploaded.
Good habits regardless of the tool
Only grant access to files you meant to share, keep backups of anything important, and be careful with sites you do not recognise.
Related guides
- Which browsers can open and save local files?
- How BookmarkFiles opens and saves your files
- Back up your files before you edit them
Ready to try it? Open BookmarkFiles in Chrome or Edge on a desktop computer.