# Access files with the VFS browser

Perform the following steps to access your files with the VFS browser.

1. Select **File** > **Open URL** in the PDI client to open the VFS browser.

   The Open File dialog box opens.

   ![VFS browser](/files/gw4CLIiMAcAXsDae5DUU)
2. In the **Location** field, select the type of file system. The following file systems are supported:
   * **Local**: Opens files on your local machine. Use the folders in the **Name** panel of the Open File dialog box to select a resource.
   * **Hadoop Cluster**: Opens files on any Hadoop cluster except S3. Click the **Hadoop Cluster** drop-down box to select your cluster, then the resource you want to access.
   * **HDFS**: Opens files on Hadoop distributed file systems. Select the cluster you want for the **Hadoop Cluster** option, then select the resource you want to access.
   * **Google Drive**: Opens files on the Google file system. You must configure PDI to access the Google file system. See [Access to a Google Drive](/pdia-data-integration/9.3-data-integration/data-integration-perspective-in-the-pdi-client/virtual-file-system-browser/vfs-browser-connecting-to-virtual-file-systems/before-you-begin-vfs-browser/access-to-a-google-drive.md) for more information.
3. In the **Open from Folder** field, enter the VFS URL.

   The following addresses are VFS URL examples for the **Open from Folder** field:

   * **Local**: `ftp://userID:password@ftp.myhost.com/path_to/file.txt`
   * **HDFS**: `hdfs://myusername:mypassword@mynamenode:port/path`
4. (Optional) Select another value in the **Filter** menu to filter on file types other than transformations and jobs, which is the default value.

   ![Filter menu, VFS browser](/files/aK3nn7tFkwCZScNHGalH)
5. (Optional) Select a file or folder and click the **X** icon in the upper-right corner of the browser to delete it.
6. (Optional) click the **+** icon in the upper-right corner of the browser to create a new folder.

**Note:** VFS dialog boxes are configured through specific transformation parameters. See [Configure VFS options](/pdia-data-integration/9.3-data-integration/data-integration-perspective-in-the-pdi-client/virtual-file-system-browser/vfs-browser-connecting-to-virtual-file-systems/configure-vfs-options.md) for more information.


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