Personal computers traditionally store files locally, on a medium directly accessed by the computer generating or editing the files. As network access has become more widespread, it has become feasible to store files on a remote network. Storing files on a remote network, also referred to as cloud storage, allows a user to access the files using any device that can access the network. Such cloud storage systems reduce the user's need for local storage capacity and assure the user that, regardless of which device is accessing a file, an up-to-date copy of the file is being accessed.
Existing cloud storage systems are minimally integrated with other network services handling computer files. If, for example, a user wishes to access files that she has received as email attachments in her cloud storage account, she must copy the file to her cloud storage account, often by accessing her email account through an email reader, copying the file to a local device, and subsequently uploading it to her cloud storage account.