How to open .URI files on iOS
To open .URI files on iOS, open the file in the Files app and use a text-capable viewer/editor (or Share → open in a notes/text app) to view the URI lines, then copy/paste the link into a browser.
Step-by-step instructions
- Open the file in the Files app and use a text-capable viewer/editor (or Share → open in a notes/text app) to view the URI lines, then copy/paste the link into a browser.
Common issues
It opens as unreadable content or in the wrong app
A .URI file should be plain text; if it opens in an unexpected app or looks garbled, the file may not actually be a text/uri-list file or it may use an unexpected encoding.
- Force-open it with a plain text editor to confirm whether it contains one URI per line (and optional # comments).
- If it is not plain text or does not look like a URI list, ask the sender what created it and what format it is supposed to be.
Clicking a link fails (nothing happens or the app says the URI is invalid)
URIs must be properly formed (for example, https://..., file://...) and some apps only accept specific schemes.
- Open the .URI file in a text editor and check for typos, extra spaces, or wrapped lines; each URI should be on a single line.
- Try opening the same URI by pasting it into a web browser to verify it is valid and reachable.
Linux desktop does not recognize .URI as a URI list
File associations on Linux desktops often depend on the shared-mime-info database and local MIME/application defaults.
- Confirm the file is a valid text/uri-list (one URI per line, optional # comments).
- Use your desktop environment’s file association settings to associate .uri files with a text editor or a preferred handler for text/uri-list.
Security note
.URI files are plain text but can contain URIs that trigger sensitive actions (for example opening local file:// paths or launching registered URI schemes); inspect the file in a text editor before opening any links.