zed-industries/zed · error

Couldn't open file picker due to missing xdg-desktop-portal

Error message

Couldn't open file picker due to missing xdg-desktop-portal implementation.

What it means

Raised in prompt_for_paths when the ashpd xdg-desktop-portal OpenFileRequest fails to send: the system has no (or a broken) xdg-desktop-portal implementation, so native file/folder pickers cannot be shown.

Source

Thrown at crates/gpui_linux/src/linux/platform.rs:490

                    "Open Folder"
                } else {
                    "Open File"
                };

                let request = match ashpd::desktop::file_chooser::OpenFileRequest::default()
                    .identifier(identifier.await)
                    .modal(true)
                    .title(title)
                    .accept_label(options.prompt.as_ref().map(gpui::SharedString::as_str))
                    .multiple(options.multiple)
                    .directory(options.directories)
                    .send()
                    .await
                {
                    Ok(request) => request,
                    Err(err) => {
                        let result = match err {
                            ashpd::Error::PortalNotFound(_) => anyhow!(FILE_PICKER_PORTAL_MISSING),
                            err => err.into(),
                        };
                        let _ = done_tx.send(Err(result));
                        return;
                    }
                };

                let result = match request.response() {
                    Ok(response) => Ok(Some(
                        response
                            .uris()
                            .iter()
                            .filter_map(|uri: &ashpd::Uri| url::Url::parse(uri.as_str()).ok())
                            .filter_map(|uri: url::Url| uri.to_file_path().ok())
                            .collect::<Vec<_>>(),
                    )),
                    Err(ashpd::Error::Response(_)) => Ok(None),
                    Err(e) => Err(e.into()),

View on GitHub (pinned to 9d272b0363)

Solutions

1. Install xdg-desktop-portal and a desktop backend (e.g. xdg-desktop-portal-gtk or -kde)
2. Ensure the portal service is running: `systemctl --user status xdg-desktop-portal`
3. Verify XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP / portal environment is set correctly in the session
4. Fall back to a native file dialog path if the environment cannot provide portals

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at crates/gpui_linux/src/linux/platform.rs:435 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of zed-industries/zed@9d272b0363 (2026-08-20). Data as JSON: /api/errors/c2663175a7a79768. Report an issue: GitHub.