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Box Edit Does Not Launch Automatically on Windows

has_image , End User , Box Tools , Troubleshooting , Article , Product Utilization , Established , Desktop - Windows

Overview:

Box Edit does not launch automatically on Windows for some users, preventing files from opening directly from Box in their native desktop applications.

 

Problem:

When attempting to open files from Box on Windows, Box Edit fails to auto-launch. Users must manually start Box Edit or use alternative workflows (download then open), which interrupts productivity and creates confusion about whether the integration is installed and functioning.

 

Process for Resolution:

Verify Box Edit is installed, running, and enabled for startup
  • Installed
    1. Open Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features.
    2. You should see Box Tools in the list of programs:
  • Running
    1. Open Task Manager.
    2. Click the Processes tab.
    3. You should see both Box Edit and Box Local Com Service under Background Processes:
  • Enabled for startup
    1. Open Task Manager.
    2. Click the Startup tab.
    3. You should see both Box Edit and Box Local Com Service with a status of Enabled:
      • If Box Tools is installed using the MSI installer by an administrator, Box Local Com Service runs as a service (not listed in the Startup tab); please verify it is running via services.msc and contact your IT team if needed.
    4. If one of these is missing entirely from the Startup list, follow the resolution steps below.
    5. If either of these has a status of Disabled, follow the resolution steps below.
Check firewall and other network security
  • Box Tools v4 requires the ability to communicate with its Box Local Com Server by making requests to 127.0.0.1:17223 (or 127.0.0.1:17224 if port 17223 is occupied) over HTTP.
    • An exception may need to be added to any firewalls, proxies, anti-virus or security products, and browser extensions that could potentially modify this request to http://127.0.0.1.
    • The ability to communicate to 127.0.0.1 over HTTP is acceptable by the following w3c standard.
  • See Configuring a Firewall for Box Applications and Services for complete list of domains/hostnames that need to be allow-listed for Box and its applications, integrations, and components to work correctly.
Update or reinstall Box Edit
  • Update to the latest Box Edit version.
  • If issues persist, uninstall Box Edit, reboot, and reinstall the latest installer from Box.
  • Check for interfering software
    • Temporarily disable antivirus, firewall, or endpoint security that may block inter-process communication or protocol handlers.
    • Ensure no group policy or enterprise settings are blocking installation or auto-launch behavior.
Test with another browser and user account
  • Attempt the same workflow in a different browser to isolate browser-specific issues.
  • Test with a different Windows user account or machine to determine if the problem is user-specific or machine-wide.

 

To fix Box Edit being set to Disabled:
  1. Click the Name of the program that is Disabled so that it is highlighted.
  2. Select Enable near top of window:

 

To fix Box Edit not showing in Startup menu:

  1. Navigate to the Box Edit program which will be in 1 of 2 locations on your computer

    Location 1: C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Box\Box Edit[username] will be your username on your computer

    • This AppData folder is hidden by default so the fastest way to get there is to open your Windows search and type %localappdata% (including the percentage signs) and hit Enter

    Location 2: C:\Program Files\Box\Box Edit

  2. Create a shortcut for the Box Edit program
  3. Move this shortcut to this folder C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

 

To fix Box Local Com Service not showing in Startup menu:

  1. Navigate to the Box Local Com program which will be in 1 of 2 locations on your computer

    Location 1: C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Box\Box Local Com Server[username] will be your username on your computer

    • This AppData folder is hidden by default so the fastest way to get there is to open your Windows search and type %localappdata% (including the percentage signs) and hit Enter

    Location 2: C:\Program Files\Box\Box Local Com Server

  2. Create a shortcut for the Box Local Com program
  3. Move this shortcut to this folder C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

 

Outcome:

To confirm resolution:

  • Clicking a file in Box on Windows should automatically open the corresponding native desktop application without manual launching of Box Edit.
  • The Box icon should appear in the system tray and Box Edit should show an active process in Task Manager when opening files.
  • No browser prompts blocking external application launch should appear.

 

Alternatives:

If you continue to experience any of the symptoms listed above, collect and submit Box Tools Logs and open a support ticket at support.box.com for further assistance.

Notate the following details:

  • Date and time that Box Edit did not automatically launch

 

Further Reading:

Related articles can be found at Troubleshooting Box Edit.

 

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