M-Files Web vs. Desktop vs. a Native Mac Client: What Each Can Do
A side-by-side look at the M-Files clients, so every user gets the right one.
29 October 2026 , Our Blog
M-Files gives organizations several ways to reach the same vault. Choosing the right client for each group of users makes a big difference to adoption. Here is how the M-Files web client, the Windows desktop client and M-Client, the native Mac client, compare.
The M-Files web client
M-Files Web runs in a browser and needs no installation. It is the natural choice for users who search, review, approve and fill in metadata, and for anyone outside the company network.
The M-Files desktop client for Windows
The desktop client integrates M-Files with Windows: the vault appears in File Explorer, documents open in their Windows apps, and Microsoft Office add-ins help save documents with metadata. It is the classic choice for power users on Windows PCs.
M-Client, the native client for Mac
M-Client brings that desktop experience to macOS. It talks to your server through the same interfaces as M-Files Web, so it follows your vault's views, metadata card rules, workflows and permissions, and adds what Mac users expect from a native app: editing in Mac apps with check-out and check-in, Finder integration, drag and drop, and several vaults in separate windows.
Side by side
| Capability | M-Files Web | Desktop (Windows) | M-Client (Mac) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Runs on | Any browser | Windows | macOS 14 or later |
| Installation | None | Desktop installer | One app from a disk image |
| Views, search, metadata cards, workflows | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Edit in native apps, check in on close | Through extra tools | Yes | Yes |
| File manager integration | No | File Explorer | Finder: right-click and Save As |
| Drag files in and out | Upload only | Yes | Yes |
| Vault applications (UI extensions) | Yes | Desktop applications | Web-style applications |
Which client for which user?
- Approvers and occasional users: M-Files Web.
- Daily users on Windows: the desktop client.
- Daily users on Macs: M-Client, so they work in M-Files as comfortably as their Windows colleagues.
All three work on the same vault at the same time. A document checked out on a Mac shows as checked out on the web and on Windows, and every version lands in the same history.
See the full list of M-Client features, or try it with your own vault in a free 15-day trial.