This document identifies some questions and answers that you may find helpful when using Box Edit.
Does Box Edit work on mobile browsers?
Can Box Edit be deployed or used in a virtual environment?
Does Box Edit support proxies?
What happens if a collaborator opens and edits a document I'm editing?
How is Box Edit different from Box Drive and Box Sync? Do they overlap at all?
Can admins block their users from using Box Edit?
How long are files (caches) opened by Box Edit stored on my computer?
Where does Box Edit store edited files?
Does Box Edit work on mobile browsers?
No, Box Edit is only available for desktop computers. Box Edit is not available for mobile devices.
Can Box Edit be deployed or used in a virtual environment?
Box Edit may work in a virtual environment, but certain limitations are known. Be sure to use the MSI installer on VM/VDI. For more information, see Using Box in Virtual Environments.
Does Box Edit support proxies?
Yes, for both Windows and Mac. You may need to allowlist 127.0.0.1 if your proxy is blocking Box Edit. Please review the DNS and Proxy configuration article.
Box Edit uses the proxy to access Box data and download documents. Please note that Box Edit also communicates with the local browser using the domain: 127.0.0.1.
This domain points to the local system, and in order for Box Edit to work, communications to this domain must go directly and not through a proxy.
What happens if a collaborator opens and edits a document I'm editing?
If you don't lock a file, and another collaborator edits this file while you are also editing it, Box Edit creates two copies of the file on Box so you can easily track changes separately and ensure content remains consistent.
How is Box Edit different from Box Drive and Box Sync? Do they overlap at all?
Box Drive and Box Sync are designed to keep all your important content updated on your computer’s desktop, even when a colleague uploads a new version. You can access files and make edits directly from your desktop, and the updated versions are added to Box where the rest of your team can access them.
Box Edit provides the same benefits, but is designed for quick edits when you’re working from the Box web app. You can open, edit, and save a file without ever needing to leave Box – this add-on feature is ideal for content that’s not already synced to your desktop.
Can admins block their users from using Box Edit?
Yes, admins can disable this add-on feature for their account holders in the Box Admin console.
How long are files (caches) opened by Box Edit stored on my computer?
On Windows computers, Box Edit stores files locally for 7 days (Last accessed date is used for determining if a file is 7 days old, not last modified date). On Mac computers, Box Edit stores files locally for 21 days (three weeks).
When this time period expires, Box Edit deletes the file. Box Edit also deletes all of its cached files the next time you launch Box Edit—typically when you restart your computer.
For example, if you open a file through Box Edit and leave it open for longer than the storage periods listed above, you lose the changes you made to the file. To avoid running into this issue, save and close files after each editing session, and begin new edits by re-opening the file from the web application.
Where does Box Edit store edited files?
For Windows
Win 7:
%LocalAppData%\Box\Box Edit\Documents
This would look like:
Win 7:
C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Box\Box Edit\Documents
For Mac:
~/Library/Application Support/Box/Box Edit/Documents/