Opening files
You can open FileMaker Pro files located on your computer. You can open single files or multiple files at the same time.
There are other methods of opening files and other types of files that you can open. You can:
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Use the FileMaker Quick Start Screen to open files. For more information, see Using FileMaker Quick Start to open files.
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Open FileMaker Pro files that may be available as shared databases on your network. For more information, see Working with shared files as a client. If you have marked any files as favorites in the Remote Hosts dialog box, the FileMaker Quick Start Screen gives you quick access to them.
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Convert files created with an earlier version of FileMaker Pro into the current FileMaker Pro format. For more information, see Converting files from FileMaker Pro 11 and earlier.
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Convert compatible files created in other applications — such as Microsoft Excel files, Bento 2 (or a later supported version) files, or tab-delimited text files — to FileMaker Pro format.
To open a file if FileMaker Pro is already running:
1.
Choose File menu > Open.
Tip  You can also choose File menu > Open Recent or File menu > Open Favorite.
2.
In the Open File dialog box, select the filename and click Open.
Note  If the file was created using a version of FileMaker Pro earlier than 12, see Converting a single file.
3.
If you’re asked to enter an account name and password when the file opens, type them in the Password dialog box, then click OK.
For more information, see Opening files protected with passwords.
To open a file if FileMaker Pro isn’t running:
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Drag the file onto the FileMaker Pro application icon.
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Double-click the FileMaker Pro file.
To open multiple files at the same time:
1.
Do one of the following:
 
To open multiple files
Do this
From within FileMaker Pro
Choose File menu > Open, and select all the files that you want to open in the Open File dialog box:
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To select multiple files, Ctrl+click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) each file.
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To select a range of adjacent files, click the first file, then Shift-click the last file in the range.
Then click Open.
In a Windows Explorer window or
a Mac OS Finder window
Select the files you want to open, then drag them onto the FileMaker Pro application icon.
That are in a folder
Drag the folder onto the FileMaker Pro application icon.
Note  FileMaker Pro only opens files located directly in the folder. Any files that exist in any enclosed folders are not opened.
2.
If you see the Open Multiple Files dialog box, choose whether to convert files, and then click Open.
The Open Multiple Files dialog box only appears if one or more of the files you open are in a format that FileMaker Pro can convert, such as Microsoft Excel, tab-delimited text, or FileMaker Pro 6. You can choose to do one of the following in the Open Multiple Files dialog box:
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Open current FileMaker Pro files only. Do not convert any files.
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Open current FileMaker Pro files and convert any compatible files into FileMaker Pro files. FileMaker Pro saves the converted files into a folder you specify, automatically naming each file based on the name of the source file.
Notes
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To display recently opened filenames in the File menu and Quick Start Screen, choose Edit menu (Windows) or FileMaker Pro menu (Mac OS) > Preferences and select Show recently opened files. To remove the list of recently opened files, choose File menu > Open Recent > Clear Recent Files.
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When you open a file saved with date, time, and number formats that are different from the system formats set on your computer, you might see an alert message. See Opening files with foreign system formats.
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If a file opens with a default password, you can specify a different password by pressing the Shift key (Windows) or the Option key (Mac OS) when opening the file.
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You can open a FileMaker Pro for Windows file on the Mac OS, and vice versa. If you intend to move files across platforms, it’s best to include the .fmp12 extension in the filename. If you add or remove filename extensions, you must re-specify the data source (formerly known as file references) for related files and files with external scripts.
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For information on displaying a specific layout when a file opens, see Setting file options.
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If you have FileMaker Pro Advanced, you can:
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rename a set of database files and automatically update references to related files or scripts. See Setting up files for developer solutions (FileMaker Pro Advanced)
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add the .fmp12 filename extension to a set of files. See Adding filename extensions to files (FileMaker Pro Advanced)
Related topics 
Opening shared files as a client
Opening files troubleshooting
Closing windows and files
Closing files troubleshooting
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