Run windows explorer via chrome?

In Internet Explore if I enter c:\ in the address bar, I get the explorer.exe open. If I do it in chrome I get the picture below

Is there anything similar to this in chrome ? ( witout extension). I want to enter c:\ ( or something else) in the chrome address bar to get explore.exe open. Is it possible?

Looking at this image :

5 Answers

From Chrome, Safari and Opera this isn't possible due to their security model. Internet Explorer permits it, because it's part of the OS and intimately linked with Explorer.exe.

Thus, the only solution to achieve your goal is by using an extension.

This extension from the Chrome Web Store helps by opening files from the chrome file manager in their respective programs, it does not open the local links in windows explorer as you asked but may be helpful in what it is your trying to achieve,

If you could elaborate that would help us better answer you.

If the question is "Is there is a way to open Explorer.exe from Chrome.exe?" then the general answer is "Yes." because one can launch Explorer.exe from Chrome's download view.

A simple example of how to do this follows:

• Find something on the Internet that will trigger a download within Chrome and download it; or if you can remember the shortcuts, either press control-J or type chrome://downloads/ into Chrome's omnibox.
• As of 2018 the default Chrome theme's download tab contains a blue menu bar. On the very right of this blue menu bar is a Kebab Menu (three vertical dots aka "more options"). The Kebab menu has an option "Open downloads folder" which will normally launch Explorer.exe.

This is useful when one is operationg in a limited environment such as Citrix Virtual Apps (previously know as MetaFrame, "Presentation Server", XenApp and then rolled into the suite and dubbed XenDesktop and as of 2018 "Citrix Virtual Apps"). Using this technique, one can typically launch Explorer.exe and elevate into a full desktop. One technique is to type into the just launched explorer window C:\Windows\System32\Taskmgr.exe and press enter. From the remote Task Manager window select the "Details" tab, locate explorer.exe, right click on it, select "End Task", select "End Process" and let the process end. Continuing with the remote Task Manager window, select File, Run new task. Type in explorer.exe (or specifically %windir%\explorer.exe) and the entire desktop should appear, including the start menu. This is a generally true method of gaining a full desktop from Chrome.exe. Each environment may contain caveats. If this specific technique fails, there are other techniques of which one normally succeeds.

Honestly I don't know if there is an easy way to run windows explorer on chrome. I've also looked for a solution and so far the easiest way is to use chrome extension. If you're down for that path, try this one out .

Chrome new tab

1. Enter file:///C:/Windows/explorer.exe into the Chrome address bar. A save dialog will open.
2. Right-click any folder and select Open in new window.
3. Navigate to the folder you want.

Chrome HTML view of folder/files

1. Right-click on the folder/file and select Copy link address.
2. Right-click again, selecting Save link as… or press Crtl + S. A save dialog will open.
3. Right-click any folder and select Open in new window.
4. Paste the copied address in the new window's address bar.