Systems and methods are disclosed herein for opening files via local applications. A first application on a local device receives a request to open a document specified by a user via a user interface associated with the first application, the document having a document identifier and associated with a first file stored on a server. The first application communicates the request to open the document associated with the first file to a second application on the local device, and receives, from the second application, information identifying one of the plurality of document processing applications that are on the local device and are capable of opening a second file that is stored on the local device and has the same document identifier as the document specified by the user, the second file being a local copy of the first file. The first application causes the identified document processing application to open locally the second file that corresponds to the requested document associated with the first file stored on the server.