---
title: "openFile(_:withApplication:)"
framework: appkit
role: symbol
role_heading: Instance Method
path: "appkit/nsworkspace/openfile(_:withapplication:)"
---

# openFile(_:withApplication:)

Opens a file using the specified app.

## Declaration

```swift
func openFile(_ fullPath: String, withApplication appName: String?) -> Bool
```

## Parameters

- `fullPath`: The full path to the file.
- `appName`: The name of the app to use when opening the file.

## Return Value

Return Value true if the file was successfully opened; otherwise, false.

## Discussion

Discussion The appName parameter need not be specified with a full path and, in the case of an app wrapper, may be specified with or without the .app extension, as described in Use of .app Extension. The sending app is deactivated before the request is sent. It is safe to call this method from any thread in your app in macOS 10.6 and later.

## See Also

### Methods

- [open(_:options:configuration:)](appkit/nsworkspace/open(_:options:configuration:).md)
- [open(_:withApplicationAt:options:configuration:)](appkit/nsworkspace/open(_:withapplicationat:options:configuration:).md)
- [openFile(_:)](appkit/nsworkspace/openfile(_:).md)
- [openFile(_:withApplication:andDeactivate:)](appkit/nsworkspace/openfile(_:withapplication:anddeactivate:).md)
- [openFile(_:from:at:in:)](appkit/nsworkspace/openfile(_:from:at:in:).md)
- [launchApplication(_:)](appkit/nsworkspace/launchapplication(_:).md)
- [launchApplication(_:showIcon:autolaunch:)](appkit/nsworkspace/launchapplication(_:showicon:autolaunch:).md)
- [launchApplication(at:options:configuration:)](appkit/nsworkspace/launchapplication(at:options:configuration:).md)
- [performFileOperation(_:source:destination:files:tag:)](appkit/nsworkspace/performfileoperation(_:source:destination:files:tag:).md)
- [fullPath(forApplication:)](appkit/nsworkspace/fullpath(forapplication:).md)
- [absolutePathForApplication(withBundleIdentifier:)](appkit/nsworkspace/absolutepathforapplication(withbundleidentifier:).md)
- [launchApplication(withBundleIdentifier:options:additionalEventParamDescriptor:launchIdentifier:)](appkit/nsworkspace/launchapplication(withbundleidentifier:options:additionaleventparamdescriptor:launchidentifier:).md)
- [open(_:withAppBundleIdentifier:options:additionalEventParamDescriptor:launchIdentifiers:)](appkit/nsworkspace/open(_:withappbundleidentifier:options:additionaleventparamdescriptor:launchidentifiers:).md)
- [mountedRemovableMedia()](appkit/nsworkspace/mountedremovablemedia().md)
- [mountedLocalVolumePaths()](appkit/nsworkspace/mountedlocalvolumepaths().md)