# Unable to open files/folders with ".search-ms" extention using Phone Link
**URL:** https://resource.dopus.com/t/unable-to-open-files-folders-with-search-ms-extention-using-phone-link/57733
**Category:** Help & Support
**Created:** [November 9, 2025, 11:49am UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/unable-to-open-files-folders-with-search-ms-extention-using-phone-link/57733 "2025-11-09T11:49:03Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@CriticalMass](https://resource.dopus.com/u/CriticalMass)
#### Post date: [November 9, 2025, 11:49am UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/unable-to-open-files-folders-with-search-ms-extention-using-phone-link/57733/1 "2025-11-09T11:49:03Z")
"Photos is moving to File Explorer"
When opening Photos in Phone Link, I'm told it's moving to File Explorer, but when I click on the button, it fails to open in DOpus
image
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951×179 5.75 KB
When going to the parent, there are a number of "aliased" folders requiring the ",search-ms" extension
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### Author:  [@Leo](https://resource.dopus.com/u/Leo)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2025, 3:09pm UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/unable-to-open-files-folders-with-search-ms-extention-using-phone-link/57733/3 "2025-11-11T15:09:48Z")
Thanks for reporting this. It has been fixed for the next update.
Those .search-ms files will be sent to File Explorer rather than Opus trying to open them. The OS considers the files to be folders, and so asks Opus to open them, even though they are really XML files.
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### Author:  [@ChefChaudart](https://resource.dopus.com/u/ChefChaudart)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2025, 8:36am UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/unable-to-open-files-folders-with-search-ms-extention-using-phone-link/57733/4 "2025-12-17T08:36:12Z")
Any news on this issue ??
v13.20.1 (Beta)
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### Author:  [@Leo](https://resource.dopus.com/u/Leo)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2025, 9:01am UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/unable-to-open-files-folders-with-search-ms-extention-using-phone-link/57733/5 "2025-12-17T09:01:44Z")
That looks like a different issue? The one in the root post was about what happens when you click a button in Phone Link (which should be OK now), but this looks like you’re doing something within Opus?
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### Author:  [@ChefChaudart](https://resource.dopus.com/u/ChefChaudart)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2026, 5:30pm UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/unable-to-open-files-folders-with-search-ms-extention-using-phone-link/57733/6 "2026-01-28T17:30:36Z")
When I click on ( or Music, ... ) from my connected smartphone, I get this popup with search-ms, instead of displaynig my phone's stored images.
In other words, how to access phone's images from Dopus ? ( Since Microsoft did that [change](https://windowsforum.com/threads/windows-11-photos-move-from-phone-link-to-file-explorer-what-you-need-to-know.394475/) )
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### Author:  [@Leo](https://resource.dopus.com/u/Leo)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2026, 5:54pm UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/unable-to-open-files-folders-with-search-ms-extention-using-phone-link/57733/7 "2026-01-28T17:54:33Z")
Is that connected via a USB cable and MTP, or a different method?
Does toggling **Preferences / Miscellaneous / Advanced: mtp\_enable** make a difference?
Other general suggestions: [MTP and transferring files with Android and iOS phones, Cameras](https://resource.dopus.com/t/mtp-and-transferring-files-with-android-phones/28589)
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### Author:  [@ChefChaudart](https://resource.dopus.com/u/ChefChaudart)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2026, 9:17pm UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/unable-to-open-files-folders-with-search-ms-extention-using-phone-link/57733/8 "2026-01-28T21:17:43Z")
it's connected via Wi-Fi. See [here](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microsoft.appmanager&hl=en_CA).
MTP is enabled.
Below, display from File Explorer ;
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### Author:  [@Leo](https://resource.dopus.com/u/Leo)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2026, 1:56pm UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/unable-to-open-files-folders-with-search-ms-extention-using-phone-link/57733/9 "2026-01-30T13:56:51Z")
I'd use something other than Microsoft's "Link to Windows" app if you want it to work outside of File Explorer. There are suggestions in the guide I linked above.