---
title: "openfiledialog"
description: "Shows a Windows file chooser and returns the selected absolute path."
---
```lua
openfiledialog(filter: string?, title: string? = "Open File"): string?
```
---
## Aliases
None.
---
## Arguments
A NUL-separated Win32 filter string containing label/pattern pairs.
The native dialog title.
---
## Returns
The selected absolute file path, or nil on cancel/native failure.
Returns nil on cancel or native failure. Filters use NUL-separated Win32 label/pattern pairs. Dialogs block while open; their paths do not bypass workspace restrictions.
---
## Example
```lua
local path = openfiledialog("Text files *.txt All files *.* ", "Choose a file")
print(path or "Cancelled")
```