# Open files from external drives
**URL:** https://discourse.paraview.org/t/open-files-from-external-drives/10209
**Category:** Feature Requests
**Created:** [August 29, 2022, 1:15pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/open-files-from-external-drives/10209 "2022-08-29T13:15:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@neil](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/neil)
#### Post date: [August 29, 2022, 1:15pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/open-files-from-external-drives/10209/1 "2022-08-29T13:15:36Z")
Paraview in Linux and Windows can only read files from the internal computer drive; there is no option to read in a file from an external drive. It would be useful for the ‘File’, ‘Open’ option in the main menu of Paraview to be to have an option to read a file from an external drive, normally connect to the computer by usb.
This would seem a relatively easy thing to include in the Paraview software and i’m surprised there are no other requests for this. It would offer a greater flexibility for Paraview. many thanks, N
---
### Author:  [@woodscn](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/woodscn)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2023, 11:24pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/open-files-from-external-drives/10209/2 "2023-04-05T23:24:32Z")
At least in Windows, this is already possible. The GUI dialog just doesn’t show you the drive. Type E: (for instance) into the filename bar and click Navigate, and it’ll take you there.
---
### Author:  [@mwestphal](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/mwestphal)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2023, 9:09am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/open-files-from-external-drives/10209/3 "2023-04-07T09:09:14Z")
@aron.helser I think this was fixed, was it ?
---
### Author:  [@neil](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/neil)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2023, 9:53am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/open-files-from-external-drives/10209/4 "2023-04-07T09:53:36Z")
That suggested by Nathan works just fine, but granted initially you dont see the drive. N
---
### Author:  [@aron.helser](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/aron.helser)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2023, 11:59am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/open-files-from-external-drives/10209/5 "2023-04-07T11:59:33Z")
Yes, this is fixed in the latest file dialog - external drives are included in the Locations sidebar.