InLoox Desktop Tools

The InLoox Desktop Tools are an optional extension that allows InLoox Web App to access local drives and network file servers. They let you open files directly in your desktop application and work with them without downloading and re-uploading them to InLoox.

The InLoox Desktop Tools provide two capabilities:

• Open documents directly from a file server: With InLoox Self-Hosted using a file server as document storage, any document stored there opens directly in its desktop application once the option is enabled in the account settings.
• Add file links: Add links to local or network files and open them directly from InLoox — available in all editions and independent of the document storage in use.

Installation of the InLoox Desktop Tools

You can download the InLoox Desktop Tools here.

Agree to the request to open the InLoox Desktop Tools and check the box to save this selection permanently:

The first time you start InLoox Desktop Tools, another browser window opens. You may have to log in again in this window. The document will then open directly and you can make changes and save them. These changes are immediately visible to everyone.

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InLoox Self-Hosted: Open File Server Documents Directly

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This section applies to the InLoox Self-Hosted Edition in combination with a file server as document storage. Your InLoox Self-Hosted server must be running on version InLoox 11.13 or higher.

If you use InLoox Self-Hosted with a file server as your document storage, the InLoox Desktop Tools let you open any document stored in InLoox directly in its desktop application — without downloading it first.

Modern browsers generally prevent documents from being opened directly from a local network or directory for security reasons. Without the Desktop Tools, you have to download a document to edit it and upload it again afterwards so that all colleagues have access to the changed file. With the Desktop Tools installed and the account setting enabled, you can bypass this limitation and work with files directly.

warning

For the steps below to work, users must have direct access (read/write permissions) to the file server configured in InLoox. It is therefore advisable to use a network drive as the storage location for the project documents.

note

Starting with InLoox 26.7, you can optionally synchronize the InLoox document permissions to the file server, so that the Windows folder permissions of the project folders match the InLoox permissions. For details, see the help article File Server Permissions. This feature is currently marked as beta.

Step 1: Enable File Server Access in the Account Settings

Before documents can be opened directly, an administrator must enable the corresponding option in the account settings. As long as this option is disabled, the Open in app button is not available.

1. Click on your profile picture in the upper-right corner of InLoox.
2. Click on Account Settings.
3. Click on Documents.
4. On the Document storage tab, in the File server section, enable the option Retrieve documents in InLoox directly from the file server.

note

You need administrator rights to change account settings.

Step 2: Open Files in App

Once file server access is enabled, documents such as Excel or Word files can be opened directly in the respective app. Click on next to the document and then on Open in app.

Open Folder on File Share

If you need to access the folder where the file is stored, click on next to the file and select Open folder from the menu. InLoox directs you straight to the file's folder in your file share.

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Desktop Tools version 12.1 or higher is required for this.

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Add File Links to Local or Network Files

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The Add file link button is available in all InLoox editions and is independent of the document storage in use. InLoox Desktop Tools version 12.5 (November 2025) or higher is required.

To work with files on your computer or a network drive, use the InLoox Desktop Tools to add file links to those files in InLoox Web App. You can open, edit, and save the linked files directly — without downloading and re-uploading them to InLoox — which also prevents unnecessary duplicate files.

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Documents you add as file links stay in their original location and are not imported into InLoox. Users need direct access to that location to be able to open the documents.

1. Open a project and open the Documents tab.
2. Click on Add file link. Agree to the request to open the InLoox Desktop Tools and check the box to save this selection permanently.
3. InLoox opens your local file area, e.g. Microsoft Explorer, where you select one or several documents. Click on Open.
4. InLoox adds these file links to your list of project documents.
5. You can open the file by clicking on Open in app, edit and save it without downloading and re-uploading it to InLoox.

warning

Make sure not to rename the file link, as this will change the structure of the file link and break it.