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P4 Virtual File Service Documentation | 2025.2

# Windows File Explorer and P4 VFS

In Windows File Explorer, the Status column indicates the current state of files:

Placeholder (metadata only) |
Downloaded (file content on your local disk) |
Changed locally (The file remains in the changed locally status until the file is either submitted or reverted.) |

The Size column shows how much disk space that file would take up if it is downloaded to your local computer.

Windows file properties indicate that the “placeholder” takes up “0 bytes” on the local hard disk.

If you are downloading a large file, Windows displays a progress indicator:

Windows File Explorer lets you choose between:

| `Download file(s)` to get the full file content `Always keep on this device` to avoid the use of a placeholder for this file `Free up space` to use a placeholder instead of the full file content.

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