Hi We have several spreadsheets that have hyperlinks to documents in Sharepoint folders. Until recently, when the hyperlink is selected the document would open in the application. However, recently, more often than not the document is downloaded via the browser (Chrome). Sometimes the link behaves as expected and the document will open in its native application but will then revert back without intervention. I have checked the Sharepoint and Office 365 settings and the default is to open documents in their native application and this works when the document is opened from explorer. Thanks for any help you can give. Regards Jon

Jon - that's impressive detective work, but Microsoft, are you kidding? Why do those settings exist in Sharepoint Administration if they don't actually work? Is the ridiculous kluge that Jon had to piece together really the only way to actually force O365 to open file links in their native applications instead of a browser? This behaviour completely flummoxes our users, especially if they don't happen to be logged into O365 in the browser, in which case the "Open in..." command doesn't appear in the menu bar. No standard user is going to go to the lengths (or know how to go to the lengths) Jon describes simply to get O365 to do what it should by rights do by default (and used to do, until somebody decided to change it a few months ago).

Hi Jon, Hi got to the bottom of this.. after many hours and then Microsoft support. You will need to customize the link in order for it to open in the local program. For instance, this link will open a document called Test.xlsx in a web browser:https://contoso.sharepoint.com/:x:/r/sites/Test/_layouts/15/Doc.aspx?sourcedoc=%7B5E9CC057-1F22-40A9-94AB-7BA39F505C6A%7D&file=Test.xlsx&action=default&mobileredirect=true However, if you browse to the document library, and then copy and customize the address and add the filename, you could make the link look like this:https://contoso.sharepoint.com/sites/Test/Shared%20Documents/Test.xlsxThis document will now open in Excel the program rather the web browser. You will need to make sure their default web browser is logged into Office 365, and that the prompt to allow the document to open in the program is accepted and you can save the choice. It may still prompt to click ok in the future when clicking a link that defaults to open in the program. Also, you will need to make sure that in Library Settings for the site, and in Advanced Settings, that you have set the default open behavior for browser-enabled documents to open in the client application. If you want to avoid the user being prompted to open the Excel program when using the customized link, you can use Excel URI schemes to modify the custom link.This website contains information on URI schemes with MS Office applications. Office URI Schemeshttps://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/office/client-developer/office-uri-schemes You will need to use the customized link as mentioned already with the addition of the URI scheme to open the Excel program without prompting when using a link from within an office application, or if you want to create a regular link you can place on a users desktop or in my documents that links to the SharePoint file.To create a hyperlink that links to an Excel document in SharePoint online, and to open that document in Excel with editing enabled without being prompted, this would be the format: ms-excel:ofe|u|https://contoso.sharepoint.com/sites/Test/Shared%20Documents/Test.xlsx You would then need to right click on the cell and click Link and set it to be a hyper link with the address using the same exact text with the entire contents of the link included in the address. The URI schemes article describes how to setup links for Excel and other MS Office programs, and the options that are available to open the documents such as in view only or edit mode.

Folks, you've derailed this thread onto a topic not really related to the original. This isn't about Teams links, and it's not about whether a link causes a file to download or not. Understood this may be a problem for you, but you should start a new topic rather than usurping this one. The original issue was that links created in Sharepoint open Office application files (e.g, XLSX) in the browser rather than in the native app regardless of the settings. This still isn't fixed, though Microsoft is perpetually monkeying around with things and has at least made it easier to edit created links (just delete everything starting with the "?" after the file extension in the URL). That said, the Advanced Settings for how documents open by default still have no effect on Sharepoint's behavior, so it's pointless to fuss with them.

domemsgroupThis doesn't work because there's no app registered by default in Windows to handle this link as you've constructed it, and none are offered by Windows. Beyond that, this is a kluge workaround and not a solution to the real problem. No typical user is going to edit hyperlinks - this platform is for people doing real everyday work, not techheads who are willing to code their way around Microsoft obstacles.

AthenianRazak Agreed its ridiculous. Its a basic requirement for a user to link files wherever they maybe. This was a fix for one case I came across after a SharePoint Migration.

Links to Sharepoint Document in Excel Opens in Browser

Deleted
Apr 16, 2018
Just to crosscheck both these settings are selected as below right?
Library > Library Settings > Advanced settings > Opening Documents in the Browser > Default open behavior for browser-enabled documents.
Site Settings > Site Collection Administration > Site Collection Features > Open Documents in Client Applications by Default.

Also make sure none of the addons are corrupted. Try to reinstall addons like NameCtrlClass and SharepointDocumentClass.

If none of above work try to repair and reinstall office and let us know.
- Jon Preston
  Copper Contributor
  Apr 19, 2018
  Thank you very much for your reply and suggestions.
  
  I have done everything suggested. The settings were already as required. However, opening the documents from the links in Excel still attempts to open them in the browser rather than with the native application.
  
  Is there anything else I can try?
  - domemsgroup
    Copper Contributor
    Jan 26, 2019
    Hi Jon,
    
    Hi got to the bottom of this.. after many hours and then Microsoft support.
    
    You will need to customize the link in order for it to open in the local program.
    
    For instance, this link will open a document called Test.xlsx in a web browser:
    https://contoso.sharepoint.com/:x:/r/sites/Test/_layouts/15/Doc.aspx?sourcedoc=%7B5E9CC057-1F22-40A9-94AB-7BA39F505C6A%7D&file=Test.xlsx&action=default&mobileredirect=true
    
    However, if you browse to the document library, and then copy and customize the address and add the filename, you could make the link look like this:
    https://contoso.sharepoint.com/sites/Test/Shared%20Documents/Test.xlsx
    This document will now open in Excel the program rather the web browser.
    
    You will need to make sure their default web browser is logged into Office 365, and that the prompt to allow the document to open in the program is accepted and you can save the choice. It may still prompt to click ok in the future when clicking a link that defaults to open in the program.
    
    Also, you will need to make sure that in Library Settings for the site, and in Advanced Settings, that you have set the default open behavior for browser-enabled documents to open in the client application.
    
    If you want to avoid the user being prompted to open the Excel program when using the customized link, you can use Excel URI schemes to modify the custom link.
    This website contains information on URI schemes with MS Office applications.
    
    Office URI Schemes
    https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/office/client-developer/office-uri-schemes
    
    You will need to use the customized link as mentioned already with the addition of the URI scheme to open the Excel program without prompting when using a link from within an office application, or if you want to create a regular link you can place on a users desktop or in my documents that links to the SharePoint file.
    To create a hyperlink that links to an Excel document in SharePoint online, and to open that document in Excel with editing enabled without being prompted, this would be the format:
    
    ms-excel:ofe|u|https://contoso.sharepoint.com/sites/Test/Shared%20Documents/Test.xlsx
    
    You would then need to right click on the cell and click Link and set it to be a hyper link with the address using the same exact text with the entire contents of the link included in the address.
    
    The URI schemes article describes how to setup links for Excel and other MS Office programs, and the options that are available to open the documents such as in view only or edit mode.

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Links to Sharepoint Document in Excel Opens in Browser

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