I’ve been trying to figure out how to open app files I download, using Emudeck as an example. When I download the file through Chrome in desktop mode, clicking “open” just prompts me to choose a program to launch it with, but none of the options actually open the app. I’m not focused only on Emudeck—this is a general question about how to handle app files on my system. If Emudeck has a unique method, that’s cool, but I’m mostly curious about the general approach for all apps. Can anyone explain the right way to open and use these downloaded app files?
4 Answers
A lot of times, app files you download might be special launcher files, like .desktop files on Linux systems. For example, Emudeck downloads a .desktop file that you need to move to your desktop or applications folder, then double-click to run. So, it depends what exactly you downloaded. If it’s just a shortcut or a setup file, it might require specific steps. But generally, just trying to open the file directly from the browser won’t work, so using the file manager and checking the file type is the way to go.
Usually, when you download an app file via a browser and try to open it directly, it doesn’t launch because it’s not set up as an executable. Instead of opening it from the browser, try using your file manager to find the file. Once you locate it, right-click and go to properties, then permissions, and make sure to check the box that says it’s executable. After that, double-clicking it should launch the app if it’s a runnable file.
If you’re on SteamOS or similar systems, the default file explorer (something like Dolphin) is where you should be handling downloads. Open Dolphin from the task bar, find your downloaded file—usually in the Downloads folder—and check if the file is compressed like a zip. If it is, extract it first before trying to open anything. Often, apps come in compressed archives that need to be unpacked before you can run them.
One other thing to keep in mind is that sometimes these files aren’t standalone apps but launchers or scripts that need to be in a certain folder or run via terminal commands. So if making it executable and opening it normally doesn’t work, check if there’s any setup instructions. If it’s a ROM or some kind of media file, you usually don’t open it directly but place it somewhere specific within an app.
Ah, that makes sense! I wasn’t sure about moving .desktop files or what to do with them exactly. Thanks for clearing that up.