RFile

RFile documentation

WEB ACCESS

Reach approved PC files from rfile.app.

Status: Production

An RFile account connects a specific desktop device to the web dashboard. The desktop owner chooses which drives or folders are exposed and whether each location is read-only or read/write.

Connect the desktop

  1. Sign in

    Open RFile account in the desktop application and complete the account pairing flow in the browser.

  2. Confirm device state

    Wait until the desktop shows that this PC is connected to the account service.

  3. Approve a location

    Choose Off, Read, or Read & write for a fixed drive, or add a specific custom folder with the intended access level.

  4. Browse on rfile.app

    Open the authenticated web dashboard, select the online PC, and enter an approved location.

Google Drive’s connection entry, Nearby & background settings, and VLC plugin controls. Edited app-state walkthrough recorded in RFile 0.3.67; it does not show a completed pairing, signed-in account, shared-folder browsing, plugin removal, or live transfer.

When browser access works

  • Desktop online

    The paired RFile desktop must be running and connected; rfile.app is not a permanent hosted copy of the approved files.

  • Authenticated account

    The browser session must belong to the account that owns the paired device.

  • Approved root

    The requested path must stay within a drive or custom folder enabled by the desktop owner.

  • Allowed operation

    Read-only locations cannot be changed. Supported write operations require Read & write and any confirmation required by the product.

What the web workspace can do

The authenticated remote browser supports approved-root navigation, search, tabs, selection, an Inspector, downloads, uploads, and the file operations enabled by the location's access level.

Large browser transfers prefer WebRTC. That route may be peer-to-peer or TURN-relayed depending on connectivity. A limited Worker fallback exists for small transfers and is capped at 10 MiB, so browser traffic should not be described as always direct or as always bypassing relay infrastructure.

Connect now enables automatic account connection and saves that choice through app restarts, Windows reboots and updates. Temporary network failures are retried while RFile is running. Disconnect explicitly saves automatic connection as off until you choose Connect now again; pairing and shared-folder settings remain. Reconnect requests an immediate retry. RFile must be running; this option does not install a Windows startup service.

Keep access intentional

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