13.5.1.contentACCESS File Handler for Windows
This section describes how to open modern shortcut files (.alink) using Windows File Explorer, and how to install the required tool that enables this functionality on your local machine.
Introduction
.alink files are contentACCESS shortcuts used in Microsoft 365 SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams when rarely used documents are offloaded from Microsoft 365 to contentACCESS Archive. the original document is replaced by a small shortcut file (the .alink).
In Microsoft 365, your organization registers a contentACCESS file handler in the tenant so that opening an .alink directly in SharePoint/Teams/OneDrive correctly redirects you to the contentACCESS Shortcut Handler web service.
However, if you download an .alink file to your PC, or if you use OneDrive to synchronize libraries locally, Windows does not know what to do with .alink files by default. The tenant-side handler only works inside Microsoft 365.
The contentACCESS File Handler for Windows solves this by registering a Windows file association for .alink. When you open an .alink on your PC, it mimics the Microsoft 365 behaviour and redirects you to the contentACCESS Shortcut Handler service. That service then provides:
- Document preview
- Document restore
- Document download
How to download and install the file handler
1. Download contentACCESS.FileHandler.Win.exe application from the Download Center -> Tools.
2. Start the application, and on the first screen, select Install and press Enter. This application installs the handler for the current Windows user.
3. After installation, the app asks you to configure two values: server URL and email address. For each value you can choose: [C]orrect (keep the value) or [M]odify (enter a new value).
First, you need to configure the server URL. By default, you will see the current server URL (it is typically https://client.contentaccess.cloud). If you wish to keep it, choose [C]orrect.
If you would like to use a different URL, choose [M]odify, then enter the desired address and press Enter. If it is valid, a “Value updated” message appears, and the new value is applied.
Press [C]orrect, and you will be moved to the next step to configure the email address. Here, you can again choose to keep the displayed email address by selecting [C]orrect or change it by selecting [M]odify.
4. When finished, a success message will appear, showing where the application is installed so you can run it again later.
How to use the contentACCESS File Handler for Windows
Once you installed and configured the requested values, locate an .alink file on your local machine (for example, on a OneDrive-synchronized folder), and double-click the selected file. Your default browser would open and redirect you to the contentACCESS Shortcut Handler service. You can find detailed information about the contentACCESS Shortcut Handler service and its functions in the contentACCESS Portal manual, with separate chapters for SharePoint and OneDrive shortcuts.
Change configuration later or uninstall the application
If you need to change the configuration later, simply start the application again. It is typically copied into your user profile under: C:\Users\
From the menu, choose Advanced first, then select Configure.
The Configuration page appears again, where you can confirm or modify the server URL and Email address.
You can also uninstall the application by selecting the Uninstall option from the menu.
This removes the Windows registration for .alink for your current user, but it will keep the installed and config files in their installation location.
Troubleshooting
Here are some common issues you might encounter when using .alink files, along with suggested steps to resolve them:
- Nothing happens when I open an .alink file – if you encounter this issue, run the application to verify the status (it should be Installed. If it shows Not installed, you need to run Install.
- I get redirected to the wrong server – in this case, you need to reconfigure the server URL. Use the Advanced option to set the proper server URL.
- Windows does not update the icon immediately – it may take time to display the icon or you need to restart the Windows Explorer / sign out and in again.
- .alink files are opening with the wrong application (e.g. PDF viewer) – this can happen if a different default app was selected by mistake. To fix this, go to Default apps in Windows, search for .alink, and select the contentACCESS File Handler application. If needed, you can manually locate it at: C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Local\TECH-ARROW\contentACCESS.FileHandler.Win\contentACCESS.FileHandler.Win.exe