Using FileMaker Quick Start to open files
The FileMaker Quick Start Screen provides a central place where you can:
  •
Create files using an empty Starter Solution provided by FileMaker Pro, design a new empty file yourself, or open a file of a different format (such as Microsoft Excel) that already contains data. For more information, see Converting a data file to a new FileMaker Pro file.
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Open existing files located on your computer or on remote networked computers as described in this topic.
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View the electronic documentation that comes with FileMaker Pro.
To open files using the FileMaker Quick Start Screen:
1.
Do one of the following:
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Start FileMaker Pro.
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If FileMaker Pro is running, choose File menu > New Database.
The FileMaker Quick Start Screen appears.
Note  If you don’t see the FileMaker Quick Start Screen, choose Edit menu (Windows) or FileMaker Pro menu (Mac OS) > Preferences, select Show FileMaker Quick Start Screen, click OK, then repeat the above instructions.
2.
Click Open Database.
Selected Open Database button
3.
Do one of the following:
 
Select or click
To
Recent Files
Display a list of files stored on your computer that you have recently opened. If no recent files are listed, choose Edit menu > Preferences (Windows) or FileMaker Pro menu > Preferences (Mac OS), select Show recently opened files, enter a value from 1 to 16 indicating the number of recent files you want to display in the list, then click OK.
Favorite Files (local)
Display a list of files stored on your computer that you have marked as favorite, as described in this topic.
Favorite Files (remote)
Display a list of files stored on networked computers that you have marked as favorite, as described in this topic.
Browse Files
Locate the local or remote file(s) that you want to open.
4.
Do one of the following:
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To open one or more recent or favorite files, select one or more filenames from the list on the right, then click OK.
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To open one or more files you located using the Browse Files button, select the local file in the Open File dialog box, then click Open or click Open Remote, select a host, select the remote file, then click Open. For more information about accessing remote files, see Working with shared files as a client.
Tip  You can double-click a single file to open it.
To narrow the list of files that appear in the FileMaker Quick Start Screen:
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Type a few characters in the Filter text box.
Only filenames containing the characters you type are displayed in the list.
To mark a recent file as a favorite:
1.
Select Recent Files.
2.
Select a file in the list on the right.
3.
Click Add to Favorites.
The file appears in the Favorite Files (local) or Favorite Files (remote) list based on where it is stored.
To remove a favorite file from the list:
1.
Select Favorite Files (local) or Favorite Files (remote).
2.
Select one or more file(s) in your list of favorites.
3.
Click Remove.
To prevent the FileMaker Quick Start Screen from appearing when you start FileMaker Pro or create a new file:
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Select Do not show Quick Start again, then click OK.
To display the FileMaker Quick Start Screen if it has been disabled:
Choose Edit menu (Windows) or FileMaker Pro menu (Mac OS) > Preferences, select Show FileMaker Quick Start Screen, then click OK.
Related topics 
Opening shared files as a client
Opening files
Using FileMaker Quick Start to learn more about FileMaker Pro
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