Using a web application as the default handler of local content

A method includes registering a web application, which is executable through a web browser, as a default file handler of a particular type of locally-stored files. A computing device provides a file manager interface that is configured to facilitate interaction, by a user, with a local filesystem of the computing device. The file manager interface receives a user selection of a file included in the local filesystem, where the file belongs to the particular type of files. Based on the user's selection, a user selectable action element is provided in the file manager interface to invoke the registered web application to handle the selected file. The file manager interface receives a user selection of the user selectable action element; and in response to the user selection of the user selectable action element the registered web application is automatically invoked to handle the selected file.