manifest: file_handlers support

manifest: file_handlers — The file_handlers member registers an installed PWA with the operating system as a handler for specific file types, so the OS can launch the PWA when the user opens a matching file. The app receives the file via window.launchQueue.

Browser & ecosystem support

• Legend
• Yes
• Partial
• Flag
• No
• Unknown

Browser / Platform	Support	Versions	Confidence	Source	Notes
Chrome (Desktop)	Yes	102	high	source	—
Chrome (Android)	No	—	high	source	1
Edge (Desktop)	Yes	102	high	source	2
Firefox (Desktop)	No	—	high	source	3
Firefox (Android)	No	—	high	source	45
Safari (macOS)	No	—	high	source	6
Safari (iOS)	No	—	high	source	78
Samsung Internet	No	—	high	source	910
WebView (Android)	No	—	high	source	1112

1. No Chrome Android support is recorded in browser-compat-data.
2. Derived by browser-compat-data mirroring from Chrome.
3. No Firefox support is recorded in browser-compat-data.
4. No Firefox for Android support is recorded in browser-compat-data.
5. Derived by browser-compat-data mirroring from Firefox.
6. No Safari support is recorded in browser-compat-data.
7. No Safari on iOS support is recorded in browser-compat-data.
8. Derived by browser-compat-data mirroring from Safari.
9. No Samsung Internet support is recorded in browser-compat-data.
10. Derived by browser-compat-data mirroring from Chrome Android.
11. No WebView Android support is recorded in browser-compat-data.
12. Derived by browser-compat-data mirroring from Chrome Android.

Source data: /compatibility/manifest-file-handlers.json · Global usage: 37 % (StatCounter 2026-05)

Source: spec · MDN · Last verified 2026-10-03 · Confidence: high (computed from sources)

Per Chrome for Developers, file handling “is limited to desktop operating systems” in Chromium’s implementation — do not rely on it to register file associations on Android.

Consuming a launched file

Per MDN’s file_handlers reference, the app receives the launched file through window.launchQueue.setConsumer():

async function playSong(fileHandle) {
  const blob = await fileHandle.getFile();
  const url = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
  new Audio(url).play();
}

function supportsFileHandling() {
  return "launchQueue" in window && "files" in LaunchParams.prototype;
}

if (supportsFileHandling()) {
  window.launchQueue.setConsumer(({ files }) => {
    if (files && files.length) {
      playSong(files[0]);
    }
  });
}

Detecting support and falling back

Per Chrome for Developers, feature detection for File Handling checks two conditions — "launchQueue" in window and "files" in LaunchParams.prototype — since launchQueue alone doesn’t confirm the files parameter shape the app depends on. Guard the consumer with both checks, and give users an in-app way to open a file when that OS launch path isn’t available:

if (supportsFileHandling()) {
  window.launchQueue.setConsumer(({ files }) => {
    if (files && files.length) {
      playSong(files[0]);
    }
  });
} else {
  // No file-handling support here — fall back to a manual <input type="file"> picker
  // in the UI instead of relying on OS-level file association.
  document.getElementById("open-file-input").hidden = false;
}

What goes wrong

• file_handlers is desktop-only in Chromium, per Chrome for Developers — do not expect the OS-level “Open with” flow to reach the app on Android.
• Feature-detect with both "launchQueue" in window and "files" in LaunchParams.prototype, per Chrome for Developers — checking launchQueue alone doesn’t confirm the files parameter shape setConsumer() callbacks depend on.
• Firefox and Safari do not implement file_handlers, per the compatibility data above — always ship an in-app file picker that doesn’t depend on OS registration.

Where to go next

• manifest: shortcuts support — another manifest member browsers add for installed PWAs.
• manifest: shortcuts — the reference entry for the same install-time capability.

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