This is my initial feedback after spending some time actively using the HCL Domino Files iOS app. I may add further observations as I continue testing it, but I wanted to share my first impressions at this stage.
Test environment: iPhone 17 Pro running iOS 26.6.
Overall impression
Overall, my first impression of the HCL Domino Files app is positive. The app feels responsive, and accessing files that were previously uploaded through the web interface works well.
I particularly like the functionality around files, folders, moving files, and sharing. Creating a link to a file and sharing it directly from the app works very well. I also really like the option to create a public link. This is exactly the kind of functionality I would expect from a modern file service.
For my personal use case, this is actually one of the most important parts of the app. I often need to quickly share a file with somebody, and having the ability to create a link directly from the mobile app is excellent.
I also tested moving files between folders, and this worked well.
The main areas where I see room for improvement are the initial setup/login experience, sharing workflows, and, more importantly, document editing on mobile.
1. Initial setup requires the direct Files service URL
During the initial login/setup, I initially assumed that I could simply enter the HCL Domino Workspace server URL.
This did not work. I then realized that I needed to enter the direct URL of the underlying Files service instead.
From a user experience perspective, I find this somewhat difficult to understand. From a user’s point of view, there is one overall HCL Domino Workspace service, and I would expect the HCL Domino Files app to be able to use the HCL Domino Workspace URL and determine or address the underlying Files service automatically.
In other words, I would expect a user to be able to enter the same HCL Domino Workspace domain that they would use when accessing HCL Domino Workspace through a browser.
I understand that in a professional enterprise environment, Mobile Device Management (MDM) will often be used to preconfigure these settings. However, this is particularly relevant during a pilot or preview phase, where MDM configuration may not yet be in place and users are expected to configure the application themselves.
The setup process is a relatively small issue, but I think reducing this initial barrier as much as possible would create a much better first experience.
The login itself worked without any issues once the correct URL was provided.
2. File viewing, folders, moving files and sharing work well
Once logged in, I was able to see the files that I had previously uploaded through the web interface.
I tested this primarily with PDF files, and viewing them worked very well. The app is able to preview and open the PDF quickly and without any noticeable performance issues.
Creating folders and moving files between folders also worked well.
The sharing functionality is particularly good. Being able to select a file, create a link, and share it directly from the app is exactly the kind of workflow I would expect from a mobile file application.
I also really like the ability to create a public link. Being able to set a password and an expiration date for the public link is also very useful.
One additional feature I would really like to see is the ability to send the public link directly by email from within the app.
For example, after creating a public link, I would like to be able to enter one or more email addresses, optionally add a short message, and send the link directly from the HCL Domino Files app.
Currently, I can create the link, but I then have to open my email application, create a new email, copy the link, add the recipients, and send it manually.
For a quick file-sharing workflow, it would be much more convenient to have something like:
Create Public Link → Add email address(es) → Optional message → Send
This would be particularly useful when I simply want to “send this document to someone” without having to switch between applications.
3. PDF preview is not available through Public Links
I also tested the Public Link functionality using a PDF file, specifically because PDF is generally a highly compatible format and I wanted to test a straightforward sharing scenario.
The PDF can be opened and previewed very quickly within the HCL Domino Files iOS app itself, so the app clearly handles the file format well.
However, when I access the same PDF through a Public Link, the experience is different. After entering the password, everything else works as expected, including downloading the file. However, instead of displaying the PDF preview, the page shows a large message saying:
“Unable to display this PDF.”
I think this is a missed opportunity for the Public Link experience. If a PDF can be previewed successfully within the HCL Domino Files app, I would also expect the same PDF to be previewable when accessed through a Public Link.
For me, Public Links should ideally provide the same basic preview experience for common file formats, particularly PDFs.
If previewing PDFs through Public Links is intentionally not supported, I would suggest reconsidering the UI in this case. Showing a large preview area that then displays “Unable to display this PDF” creates the impression that something is broken.
Either the PDF preview should be supported, or the interface should avoid presenting a preview area when the file cannot actually be displayed.
Overall, I think Public Links should provide a polished, self-contained sharing experience, especially for common formats such as PDF.
4. Document editing on mobile needs significant improvement
The biggest issue I encountered is document editing.
I created an ODG diagram directly in the app. My expectation is that if the app allows users to create a file, that file should also be editable in the same environment.
However, I could not meaningfully edit the diagram on the iPhone.
I then tested the same workflow with a DOCX document. I created a document, entered some text, and tried to format the text.
Unfortunately, the formatting experience did not work reliably.
For example, I selected some text and tried to make it bold, but the formatting action did not produce the expected result. I also found the interaction between the formatting controls and the iOS keyboard difficult.
In some cases, I had to select the text and then tap into the empty area of the interface to hide the keyboard before I could access the formatting controls properly. A more direct way of dismissing or minimizing the keyboard in this context would also improve the experience.
More importantly, the actual formatting functions did not work reliably for me. After trying several times for a few minutes, I eventually gave up.
I have not tested presentations yet, but based on the experience with ODG and DOCX, I would expect similar challenges there.
5. If editing is offered, it needs to work reliably
I understand that this is a preview/showcase version, but I think there is an important distinction here.
For my own use case, editing documents on the mobile device is actually not essential. I mainly want to be able to access, organize, and quickly share files.
However, if the application explicitly offers document creation and editing, I think that functionality needs to work reliably and feel professional.
If full mobile editing is not ready yet, I would personally prefer a View Only experience over exposing editing functionality that does not work reliably.
The current editing experience makes the application feel less mature than the otherwise very good file management and sharing experience.
I would strongly recommend looking at established mobile applications such as Microsoft Word and Microsoft 365 as a reference for how document editing and formatting can work smoothly on an iPhone. The interaction needs to feel predictable and fluid, particularly when working with text selection, the keyboard, and formatting controls.
I fully understand that HCL Domino Files is a preview/showcase product and that the underlying technology and scope are different. However, once editing is presented as a supported capability, I think the experience should meet a sufficiently high level of usability and reliability.
6. The file management experience is much stronger than the editing experience
Interestingly, the parts of the application that I personally need most already work very well.
Accessing existing files, creating folders, moving files, and especially creating and sharing links all feel useful and straightforward.
For example, I can quickly select a file, move it to another folder, or generate a link that I can share with somebody. This is exactly the kind of mobile workflow that I would use frequently.
So I would consider the file management and sharing functionality a strong part of the current experience.
The main gap for me is the editing experience. It currently feels significantly less polished than the rest of the application.
Overall recommendation
Overall, I think the HCL Domino Files iOS app has a good foundation.
The app feels fast and responsive, the file management functionality works well, and the sharing functionality is particularly useful. The ability to create links, password-protect them, set expiration dates, and create public links directly from the mobile app is something I really like.
My main recommendations would therefore be:
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Make the initial setup easier by allowing users to provide the HCL Domino Workspace URL rather than requiring the direct Files service URL, with the app resolving the underlying Files service automatically where possible.
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Add the ability to send public links directly by email from within the app, including multiple recipients and an optional message.
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Add PDF preview support for Public Links, or avoid displaying a preview area when the file cannot be previewed.
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Continue improving the mobile document editing experience, particularly text selection, keyboard interaction, and formatting.
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If full editing is not yet ready, consider offering View Only rather than exposing editing functionality that currently does not work reliably.
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Continue focusing on the excellent file management and sharing workflows, as these already provide a very useful mobile experience.
I will continue testing the HCL Domino Files iOS app and may add further feedback as I get more familiar with the different workflows and capabilities.