Forum Discussion
How the new Edge will handle file:// URI ?
MicrosoftNo longer requires such as far as I am aware, and it works with all the browsers my users like to use. Also, with Windows 11, IE mode is useless, as far as I am concerned. I never liked it. Considered it akin to using a Lamborgini in "Ford Mode"...
- We were using Chrome prior to finding out that IE would be deprecated. I believe IETab Extension required licensing, so we migrated the company to Edge and enabled IE Mode with an Enterprise Mode Sitelist that tells the URL what document and compatability mode to open in. It was pretty easy implementation.
- No matter how we do it, IE automatically switches to Edge within 2 seconds of opening. Using IETAB helper has done the trick nicely and lessons the confusion of my users, many of whom, no matter how well educated, cannot seem to tell the difference between Internet Explorer and Edge....
here is an example from our codebase stripping CSS:
<a target="_blank" href="file://xxxx/xxx.pdf"> View Document </a>in IE11 mode this opens in a new tab as expected. In non-IE mode, this opens in the same tab instance after enabling the IntranetFileLinksEnabled policy.
apatel0708 ... are you presenting the URI and an HTML link? If so, be sure to specify the "target" attribute of the link and a "_blank" value for the attribute. This will open in a new explorer window and then the link extension will process whatever application handler exists for the file being linked.
- We have enabled this GPO Policy, However the links open in the same Edge Tab as the application. when adding the code to open in a new tab it seems to ignore this open in new tab code. Has anyone else had this issue with the intranet file opening in the same tab instead of a new tab?
Hello all
You should have a look at this brand new Version 95 policy:
IntranetFileLinksEnabled
Allow intranet zone file URL links from Microsoft Edge to open in Windows File Explorer
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/deployedge/microsoft-edge-policies#intranetfilelinksenabled
Edge Beta release notes
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/deployedge/microsoft-edge-relnote-beta-channel
Version 95.0.1020.9: September 28
Feature updates
Intranet zone file URL links will open in Windows File Explorer. You can allow file URL links to intranet zone files originating from intranet zone HTTPS websites to open Windows File Explorer for that file or directory. You can enable this experience using the IntranetFileLinksEnabled policy.
Release schedule
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/deployedge/microsoft-edge-release-schedule
Stable Version 95 is announced in Week of 21. Oct 2021.
- Can you be more specific? I see nothing useful for helping my Intranet Wiki support file:// links in the Edge Policies, and Sharepoint is really not a solution. Since the context menu Open in IE doesn't seem to be working for me, basically I am stuck using IE mode for Intranet (I need javacsript: links) and Wiki. (PS It would really be nice if Edge added protocol for opening a URL in Edge private mode like the microsoft-edge: protocol.)
- Eric_LawrencePeteWilson: Support for "View in File Explorer" is on the roadmap for Oct release: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/roadmap?filters=&searchterms=file%2Cexplorer
Also, keep an eye on the Edge Policies page when it is updated for Edge 94: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/deployedge/microsoft-edge-policies - do I understand correctly that perhaps in the upcoming releases they will add the ability to enable support for the protocol file:// ?
- new Edge Browser and file:// Links.
Maybe waiting, will resolve this problem.
I've some news from Microsoft during a ticket.
Microsoft is working on this issue.
Last news I have got from the product group is that this scenario is committed for the current quarter.
They will be able to confirm dates closer to mid-Feb.
The last update we got is:
>Regarding timelines, we're hopeful to have something figured out this quarter,
which would likely become available in Edge 90/Edge 91 release
( Microsoft Edge release schedule | Microsoft Docs<https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/DeployEdge/microsoft-edge-release-schedule>). - It is not a risk if it is well implemented, like on Firefox with many configuration options. By default, the feature is disabled and you have to activate it for a domain and you can allow or exclude to open some types of files. For my office, we have moved to Firefox and our intranet works awesome.
Microsoft should think about that question as they would like Edge to be THE browser for businesses with cool features in work environment... - Instead of notepad.exe, the bad guys could launch something that would allow them to tunnel through your firewall, or just misbehave in general. That is the risk that needs to be mitigated.
- Thanks for the input.
I am working toward getting my intranet off of IE altogether, possibly rebuilding it in Joomla. I am hoping I can make it all work this way, and keep my intranet completely behind my firewall. I think the answer is yes. A bad guy could send you an email or direct you to a website that has a hyperlink that uses your custom URL protocol and launch whatever you're custom protocol allows to be launched on your in internal client machines. For example:
<a href="Myfile://C:/Windows/system32/notepad.exe">notepad.exe</a>
will launch Notepad.exe on the client machine using the registry setup I mentioned March 3rd. The powershell command in the registry needs to be changed to only allow .DOC files to be opened if that is all you need.If IE is deleted, or at least disabled in "add and removed windows components", and the only Windows browser available to users is Edge; does this warning still apply?
- Thanks for the warning. We will likely change the protocol to only open certain document types to limit its ability.
