Using FileMaker Quick Start to open files
The FileMaker Quick Start Screen provides a central place where you can open and create files in a variety of ways. You can:
 •
Open existing FileMaker Pro files located on your computer or on remote computers as described in this topic.
 •
Create and design a new empty FileMaker Pro file. See Creating a FileMaker Pro file.
 •
Convert a file of a different format (such as Microsoft Excel) that already contains data. See Converting a data file to a new FileMaker Pro file.
 •
Create files using empty pre-designed Starter Solutions provided by FileMaker, Inc. See Creating a FileMaker Pro file.
To open FileMaker Pro files using FileMaker Quick Start:
1.
Do one of the following:
 •
Start FileMaker Pro.
 •
If FileMaker Pro is running or if you start FileMaker Pro and you don’t see the FileMaker Quick Start Screen, choose Help menu > Quick Start Screen.
2.
Do one of the following:
 
Click
To
Recent Files in the box at the center of the Quick Start Screen
Display a list of FileMaker Pro files that you have recently opened. If no recent files are listed, choose Edit menu > Preferences (Windows) or FileMaker Pro menu > Preferences (Mac OS), select Show recently opened files, enter a value from 1 to 30 indicating the number of recent files you want to display in the list, then click OK. (To remove the list of recently opened files, choose File menu > Open Recent > Clear Recent Files.)
Favorite Files in the box at the center of the Quick Start Screen
Display a list of FileMaker Pro files that you have marked as favorite. To add or change the order of favorite files, see Working with favorite files and hosts.
Browse
Locate the local or remote files that you want to open. For more information about accessing remote files, see Working with shared files as a client.
Tip  You can place the pointer over a recent or favorite file in the list to display the full path to its location (local or remote).
3.
Double-click a file to open it.
To narrow the list of files that appear in the recent and favorite files list:
Type a few characters in the Open a database text box. Filenames and host names containing the characters you type appear in the list.
To hide the FileMaker Quick Start Screen when you use FileMaker Pro:
Clear Show this screen when FileMaker Pro opens, then click Close.
To display the FileMaker Quick Start Screen if it has been hidden:
Choose Help menu > Quick Start Screen.
Related topics 
Opening shared files as a client
Opening files
Using FileMaker Quick Start to learn more about FileMaker Pro
Was this topic helpful? Send feedback.