Edge not opening local file share URL from intranet page

Question

I run a local html intranet page, within it I have a few URL links to local folder shares.

They work and have worked fine in IE but Edge and Chrome will not resolve them.

about:blank#blocked

<br><a href="\\10.x.x.x\"><img src="images/stuff.jpg" width="160" height="120"></a></td>

From the intranet page, clicking on the above link, it does nothing. Right click open in new tab and it gets the about:blank#blocked

Any ideas?

Answer 1

This is by design. For security reasons, Microsoft Edge 76+ and Chrome impose a number of restrictions on **file:// **URLs, including forbidding navigation to file:// URLs from non-file:// URLs

The most obvious problem is that the way file:// retrieves content can result in privacy and security problems. Pulling remote resources over file:// can leak your user account information and a hash of your password to the remote site. 

More information here:

https://textslashplain.com/2019/10/09/navigating-to-file-urls/

Answer 2

Anyone get this working? I have enabled by GPO for our domain Microsoft Edge Policies - IntranetFileLinksEnabled. Now the links still do not open when clicked, but if right click and open in new tab or window they open in edge (PDF files open in browser and local directory opens in browser. How do I get clicking the links to open folders in file explorer? I tried adding the website IP address to local intranet list in IE gpo but that didn't help.

Answer 3

Is there a work around for this issue? For Google Chrome you can install the local links extension, but there does not seem to be an extension for MS Edge.

Answer 4

Can someone update this please?

Answer 5

Hi @Anonymous ,

What version of Edge are you currently using?

And based on your description, if you want to allow intranet zone file URL links from Microsoft Edge to open in windows file explorer, you need to configure this policy: Microsoft Edge Policies - IntranetFileLinksEnabled. If you disable or don't configure this policy, file URL links will not open.

Also you need to note that https://localhost/ is specifically blocked as an exception for allowed intranet zone hosts, while loopback addresses (127.0.0.*, [::1]) are treated as internet zone by default .

Best regards,
Xudong Peng

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