Web/API/FileSystem

This is an experimental technologyCheck the Browser compatibility table carefully before using this in production.

The File and Directory Entries API interface FileSystem is used to represent a file system. These objects can be obtained from the filesystem property on any file system entry. Some browsers offer additional APIs to create and manage file systems, such as Chrome's requestFileSystem() method.

This interface will not grant you access to the users filesystem. Instead you will have a "virtual drive" within the browser sandbox. If you want to gain access to the users filesystem you need to invoke the user by eg. installing a Chrome extension. The relevant Chrome API can be found here.

Basic concepts

There are two ways to get access to a FileSystem object:

You can directly ask for one representing a sandboxed file system created just for your web app directly by calling window.requestFileSystem(). If that call is successful, it executes a callback handler, which receives as a parameter a FileSystem object describing the file system.
You can get it from a file system entry object, through its filesystem property.

Properties

FileSystem.name Read only: A USVString representing the file system's name. This name is unique among the entire list of exposed file systems.
FileSystem.root Read only: A FileSystemDirectoryEntry object which represents the file system's root directory. Through this object, you can gain access to all files and directories in the file system.

Specifications

Specification	Status	Comment
File and Directory Entries APIThe definition of 'FileSystem' in that specification.	Draft

Browser compatibility

Update compatibility data on GitHub

	Desktop						Mobile
	Chrome	Edge	Firefox	Internet Explorer	Opera	Safari	Android webview	Chrome for Android	Firefox for Android	Opera for Android	Safari on iOS	Samsung Internet
`FileSystem`	Chrome Full support 7 Alternate Name' Full support 7 Alternate Name' Alternate Name' Uses the non-standard name: `DOMFileSystem`	Edge Full support ≤18 Prefixed' Notes' Full support ≤18 Prefixed' Notes' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: WebKit Notes' Edge only supports this API in drag-and-drop scenarios using the the `DataTransferItem.webkitGetAsEntry()` method. It's not available for use in file or folder picker panels (such as when you use an `<input>` element with the `HTMLInputElement.webkitdirectory` attribute.	Firefox Full support 50	IE No support No	Opera Full support 15 Prefixed' Full support 15 Prefixed' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit	Safari Full support 11.1	WebView Android Full support ≤37 Alternate Name' Full support ≤37 Alternate Name' Alternate Name' Uses the non-standard name: `DOMFileSystem`	Chrome Android Full support 18 Alternate Name' Full support 18 Alternate Name' Alternate Name' Uses the non-standard name: `DOMFileSystem`	Firefox Android Full support 50	Opera Android Full support 14 Prefixed' Full support 14 Prefixed' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit	Safari iOS Full support 11.3	Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0 Prefixed' Full support 1.0 Prefixed' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
`name`	Chrome Full support 7	Edge Full support ≤18	Firefox Full support 50	IE No support No	Opera Full support 15	Safari Full support 11.1	WebView Android Full support ≤37	Chrome Android Full support 18	Firefox Android Full support 50	Opera Android Full support 14	Safari iOS Full support 11.3	Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0
`root`	Chrome Full support 7	Edge Full support ≤18	Firefox Full support 50	IE No support No	Opera Full support 15	Safari Full support 11.1	WebView Android Full support ≤37	Chrome Android Full support 18	Firefox Android Full support 50	Opera Android Full support 14	Safari iOS Full support 11.3	Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0

Legend

Full support: Full support
No support: No support
See implementation notes.': See implementation notes.
Uses a non-standard name.': Uses a non-standard name.
Requires a vendor prefix or different name for use.': Requires a vendor prefix or different name for use.