nextcloud-docs/user_manual/files/access_webdav.rst

======================================
Accessing Nextcloud files using WebDAV
======================================

Nextcloud fully supports the WebDAV protocol, and you can connect and synchronize
with your Nextcloud files over WebDAV. In this chapter you will learn how to
connect Linux, macOS, Windows, and mobile devices to your Nextcloud server via
WebDAV. Before we get into configuring WebDAV, let's take a quick look at the
recommended way of connecting client devices to your Nextcloud servers.

.. note:: In the following examples, you should replace **example.com/nextcloud** with the
   URL of your Nextcloud server (omit the directory part if the installation is
   in the root of your domain), and "USERNAME" with the username of the connecting user.

   See the WebDAV URL (bottom left in settings) on your Nextcloud.

.. note:: In the following examples, you must use an app-password for login, which you can generate in your security settings.

Nextcloud Desktop and mobile clients
------------------------------------

The recommended way to synchronize a desktop PC with a Nextcloud server is by
using `Nextcloud/ownCloud sync clients <https://nextcloud.com/install/#install-clients>`_. You can configure the
client to save files in any local directory and you can choose which
directories on the Nextcloud server to sync with. The client displays the
current connection status and logs all activity, so you always know which
remote files have been downloaded to your PC and you can verify that files
created and updated on your local PC are properly synchronized with the server.

The recommended way to synchronize Nextcloud server with Android and
Apple iOS devices is by using the `mobile apps
<https://nextcloud.com/install/>`_.

To connect your mobile app to a Nextcloud server use the
base URL and folder only::

    example.com/nextcloud

In addition to the mobile apps provided by Nextcloud or ownCloud, you can use other apps to
connect to Nextcloud from your mobile device using WebDAV. `WebDAV Navigator`_ is
a good (proprietary) app for `Android devices`_ and `iPhones`_. The URL to use on these is::

    example.com/nextcloud/remote.php/dav/files/USERNAME/

WebDAV configuration
--------------------

If you prefer, you may also connect your desktop PC to your Nextcloud server by
using the WebDAV protocol rather than using a special client application. Web
Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV) is a Hypertext Transfer Protocol
(HTTP) extension that makes it easy to create, read, and edit files on Web
servers. With WebDAV you can access your Nextcloud shares on Linux, macOS and
Windows in the same way as any remote network share, and stay synchronized.

Accessing files using Linux
---------------------------

You can access files in Linux operating systems using the following methods.

Nautilus file manager
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

**When you configure your Nextcloud account in the** `GNOME Control Center
<../pim/sync_gnome.html>`_, **your files will automatically be mounted
by Nautilus as a WebDAV share, unless you deselect file access**.

You can also mount your Nextcloud files manually. Use the ``davs://``
protocol to connect the Nautilus file manager to your Nextcloud
share::

  davs://example.com/nextcloud/remote.php/dav/files/USERNAME/

.. note:: If your server connection is not HTTPS-secured, use ``dav://`` instead
   of ``davs://``:

.. image:: ../images/webdav_gnome3_nautilus.png
   :alt: screenshot of configuring Nautilus file manager to use WebDAV

.. note:: The same method works for other file managers that use GVfs,
	  such as MATE's Caja and Cinnamon's Nepomuk.


Accessing files with KDE and Dolphin file manager
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

To access your Nextcloud files using the Dolphin file manager in KDE, use
the ``webdav://`` protocol::

    webdav://example.com/nextcloud/remote.php/dav/files/USERNAME/

.. image:: ../images/webdav_dolphin.png
   :alt: screenshot of configuring Dolphin file manager to use WebDAV

You can create a permanent link to your Nextcloud server:

#. Open Dolphin and click "Network" in the left hand "Places" column.
#. Click on the icon labeled **Add a Network Folder**.
   The resulting dialog should appear with WebDAV already selected.
#. If WebDAV is not selected, select it.
#. Click **Next**.
#. Enter the following settings:

   * Name: The name you want to see in the **Places** bookmark, for example Nextcloud.

   * User: The Nextcloud username you used to log in, for example admin.

   * Server: The Nextcloud domain name, for example **example.com** (without
     **http://** before or directories afterwards).
   * Folder -- Enter the path ``nextcloud/remote.php/dav/files/USERNAME/``.
#. (Optional) Check the "Create icon" checkbox for a bookmark to appear in the
   Places column.
#. (Optional) Provide any special settings or an SSL certificate in the "Port &
   Encrypted" checkbox.

Creating WebDAV mounts on the Linux command line
------------------------------------------------

You can create WebDAV mounts from the Linux command line. This is useful if you
prefer to access Nextcloud the same way as any other remote filesystem mount.
The following example shows how to create a personal mount and have it mounted
automatically every time you log in to your Linux computer.

1. Install the ``davfs2`` WebDAV filesystem driver, which allows you to mount
   WebDAV shares just like any other remote filesystem. Use this command to
   install it on Debian/Ubuntu::

    apt-get install davfs2

2. Use this command to install it on CentOS, Fedora, and openSUSE::

    yum install davfs2

3. Add yourself to the ``davfs2`` group::

    usermod -aG davfs2 <username>

3. Then create a ``nextcloud`` directory in your home directory for the
   mountpoint, and ``.davfs2/`` for your personal configuration file::

    mkdir ~/nextcloud
    mkdir ~/.davfs2

4. Copy ``/etc/davfs2/secrets`` to ``~/.davfs2``::

    cp  /etc/davfs2/secrets ~/.davfs2/secrets

5. Set yourself as the owner and make the permissions read-write owner only::

    chown <linux_username>:<linux_username> ~/.davfs2/secrets
    chmod 600 ~/.davfs2/secrets

6. Add your Nextcloud login credentials to the end of the ``secrets`` file,
   using your Nextcloud server URL and your Nextcloud username and password::

    https://example.com/nextcloud/remote.php/dav/files/USERNAME/ <username> <password>
    or
    $PathToMountPoint $USERNAME $PASSWORD
    for example
    /home/user/nextcloud john 1234

7. Add the mount information to ``/etc/fstab``::

    https://example.com/nextcloud/remote.php/dav/files/USERNAME/ /home/<linux_username>/nextcloud
    davfs user,rw,auto 0 0


8. Then test that it mounts and authenticates by running the following
   command. If you set it up correctly you won't need root permissions::

    mount ~/nextcloud

9. You should also be able to unmount it::

    umount ~/nextcloud

Now every time you login to your Linux system your Nextcloud share should
automatically mount via WebDAV in your ``~/nextcloud`` directory. If you prefer
to mount it manually, change ``auto`` to ``noauto`` in ``/etc/fstab``.

Known issues
------------

Problem
^^^^^^^
Resource temporarily unavailable

Solution
^^^^^^^^
If you experience trouble when you create a file in the directory,
edit ``/etc/davfs2/davfs2.conf`` and add::

    use_locks 0

Problem
^^^^^^^
Certificate warnings

Solution
^^^^^^^^

If you use a self-signed certificate, you will get a warning. To
change this, you need to configure ``davfs2`` to recognize your certificate.
Copy ``mycertificate.pem`` to ``/etc/davfs2/certs/``. Then edit
``/etc/davfs2/davfs2.conf`` and uncomment the line ``servercert``. Now add the
path of your certificate as in this example::

 servercert /etc/davfs2/certs/mycertificate.pem

Accessing files using macOS
---------------------------

.. note:: The macOS Finder suffers from a `series of implementation problems <http://sabre.io/dav/clients/finder/>`_ and should only be used if the Nextcloud server runs on **Apache** and **mod_php**, or **Nginx 1.3.8+**. Alternative macOS-compatible clients capable of accessing WebDAV shares include open source apps like `Cyberduck <https://cyberduck.io/>`_ (see instructions `here <https://docs.nextcloud.com/server/stable/user_manual/files/access_webdav.html#accessing-files-using-cyberduck>`_) and `Filezilla <https://filezilla-project.org>`_. Commercial clients include `Mountain Duck <https://mountainduck.io/>`_, `Forklift <https://binarynights.com/>`_, `Transmit <https://panic.com/>`_, and `Commander One <https://mac.eltima.com/>`_.

To access files through the macOS Finder:

1. From the Finder’s top menu bar, choose **Go > Connect to Server…**:

  .. image:: ../images/osx_webdav1.png
     :alt: Screenshot of entering your Nextcloud server address on macOS

2. When the **Connect to Server…** window opens, enter your Nextcloud server’s WebDAV address in the **Server Address:** field, i.e.::

    https://cloud.YOURDOMAIN.com/remote.php/dav/files/USERNAME/

  .. image:: ../images/osx_webdav2.png
     :alt: Screenshot: Enter Nextcloud server address in “Connect to Server...” dialog box

3. Click **Connect**. Your WebDAV server should appear on the Desktop as a shared disk drive.


Accessing files using Microsoft Windows
---------------------------------------

If you use the native Windows implementation of WebDAV, you can map Nextcloud to a new
drive using Windows Explorer. Mapping to a drive enables you to browse files stored on a 
Nextcloud server the way you would files stored in a mapped network drive.

Using this feature requires network connectivity. If you want to store your
files offline, use the Desktop Client to sync all files on your
Nextcloud to one or more directories of your local hard drive.

.. note:: Windows 10 now defaults to allow Basic Authentication if HTTPS is 
    enabled prior to mapping your drive. On older versions of Windows,
    you must permit the use of Basic Authentication in the Windows
    Registry: launch ``regedit`` and navigate to
    ``HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WebClient\Parameters``.
    Create or edit the ``DWORD`` value ``BasicAuthLevel`` (Windows Vista, 7 and 8) or
    ``UseBasicAuth`` (Windows XP and Windows Server 2003) and set its value data
    to ``1`` for SSL connections. Value ``0`` means that Basic Authentication is disabled,
    a value of ``2`` allows both SSL and non-SSL connections (not recommended).
    Then exit Registry Editor, and restart the computer.

Mapping drives with the command line
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The following example shows how to map a drive using the command line. To map
the drive:

1. Open a command prompt in Windows.
2. Enter the following line in the command prompt to map to the computer Z
   drive::

    net use Z: https://<drive_path>/remote.php/dav/files/USERNAME/ /user:youruser
    yourpassword

  where <drive_path> is the URL to your Nextcloud server.

For example: ``net use Z: https://example.com/nextcloud/remote.php/dav/files/USERNAME/
/user:youruser yourpassword``

  The computer maps the files of your Nextcloud account to the drive letter Z.

.. note:: Though not recommended, you can also mount the Nextcloud server
     using HTTP, leaving the connection unencrypted. If you plan to use HTTP
     connections on devices while in a public place, we strongly recommend using a
     VPN tunnel to provide the necessary security.

An alternative command syntax is::

  net use Z: \\example.com@ssl\nextcloud\remote.php\dav /user:youruser
  yourpassword

Mapping drives with Windows Explorer
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

To map a drive using the Microsoft Windows Explorer:

1. Migrate to your computer in Windows Explorer.
2. Right-click on **Computer** entry and select **Map network drive…** from
   the drop-down menu.
3. Choose a local network drive to which you want to map Nextcloud.
4. Specify the address to your Nextcloud instance, followed by
   **/remote.php/dav/files/USERNAME/**.

  For example::

    https://example.com/nextcloud/remote.php/dav/files/USERNAME/

.. note:: For SSL protected servers, check **Reconnect at sign-in** to ensure
     that the mapping is persistent upon subsequent reboots. If you want to
     connect to the Nextcloud server as a different user, check **Connect using
     different credentials**.

.. figure:: ../images/explorer_webdav.png
   :scale: 80%
   :alt: screenshot of mapping WebDAV on Windows Explorer

5. Click the ``Finish`` button.

  Windows Explorer maps the network drive, making your Nextcloud instance
  available.

Accessing files using Cyberduck
-------------------------------

`Cyberduck <https://cyberduck.io/>`_ is an open source FTP and SFTP,
WebDAV, OpenStack Swift, and Amazon S3 browser designed for file transfers on
macOS and Windows.

.. note:: This example uses Cyberduck version 4.2.1.

To use Cyberduck:

1. Specify a server without any leading protocol information. For example:

  ``example.com``

2. Specify the appropriate port. The port you choose depends on whether or not
   your Nextcloud server supports SSL. Cyberduck requires that you select a
   different connection type if you plan to use SSL. For example:

  80 (for WebDAV)

  443 (for WebDAV (HTTPS/SSL))

3. Use the 'More Options' drop-down menu to add the rest of your WebDAV URL into
   the 'Path' field. For example:

  ``remote.php/dav/files/USERNAME/``

Now Cyberduck enables file access to the Nextcloud server.

Accessing public shares over WebDAV
-----------------------------------

Nextcloud provides the possibility to access public shares over WebDAV.

To access the public share, open::

  https://example.com/nextcloud/public.php/webdav

in a WebDAV client, use the share token as username and the (optional) share password
as password.

.. note:: **Settings** → **Administration** → **Sharing** → **Allow users on this
   server to send shares to other servers**. This option also allows WebDAV access
   to public shares needs to be enabled in order to make this feature work.

Known problems
--------------

Problem
^^^^^^^
Windows does not connect using HTTPS.

Solution 1
^^^^^^^^^^

The Windows WebDAV Client might not support Server Name Indication (SNI) on
encrypted connections. If you encounter an error mounting an SSL-encrypted
Nextcloud instance, contact your provider about assigning a dedicated IP address
for your SSL-based server.

Solution 2
^^^^^^^^^^

The Windows WebDAV Client might not support TLSv1.1 and TLSv1.2 connections. If
you have restricted your server config to only provide TLSv1.1 and above the
connection to your server might fail. Please refer to the WinHTTP_ documentation
for further information.

.. _WinHTTP: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa382925.aspx#WinHTTP_5.1_Features

Problem
^^^^^^^

You receive the following error message: **Error 0x800700DF: The file size
exceeds the limit allowed and cannot be saved.**

Solution
^^^^^^^^

Windows limits the maximum size a file transferred from or to a WebDAV share
may have. You can increase the value **FileSizeLimitInBytes** in
**HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SYSTEM\\CurrentControlSet\\Services\\WebClient\\Parameters**
by clicking on **Modify**.

To increase the limit to the maximum value of 4GB, select **Decimal**, enter a
value of **4294967295**, and reboot Windows or restart the **WebClient**
service.

Problem
^^^^^^^

Accessing your files from Microsoft Office via WebDAV fails.

Solution
^^^^^^^^

Known problems and their solutions are documented in the KB2123563_ article.

Problem
^^^^^^^
Cannot map Nextcloud as a WebDAV drive in Windows using self-signed certificate.

Solution
^^^^^^^^

  #. Go to the your Nextcloud instance via your favorite Web browser.
  #. Click through until you get to the certificate error in the browser status
     line.
  #. View the cert, then from the Details tab, select Copy to File.
  #. Save to the desktop with an arbitrary name, for example ``myNextcloud.pem``.
  #. Start, Run, MMC.
  #. File, Add/Remove Snap-In.
  #. Select Certificates, Click Add, My User Account, then Finish, then OK.
  #. Dig down to Trust Root Certification Authorities, Certificates.
  #. Right-Click Certificate, Select All Tasks, Import.
  #. Select the Save Cert from the Desktop.
  #. Select Place all Certificates in the following Store, Click Browse.
  #. Check the Box that says Show Physical Stores, Expand out Trusted Root
     Certification Authorities, and select Local Computer there, click OK,
     Complete the Import.
  #. Check the list to make sure it shows up. You will probably need to Refresh
     before you see it. Exit MMC.
  #. Open Browser, select Tools, Delete Browsing History.
  #. Select all but In Private Filtering Data, complete.
  #. Go to Internet Options, Content Tab, Clear SSL State.
  #. Close browser, then re-open and test.

Problem
^^^^^^^

You cannot download more than 50 MB or upload large files when the upload takes
longer than 30 minutes using Web Client in Windows 7.

Solution
^^^^^^^^

Workarounds are documented in the KB2668751_ article.


Accessing files using cURL
--------------------------

Since WebDAV is an extension of HTTP cURL can be used to script file operations.

To create a folder with the current date as name:

.. code-block:: bash

	$ curl -u user:pass -X MKCOL "https://example.com/nextcloud/remote.php/dav/files/USERNAME/$(date '+%d-%b-%Y')"

To upload a file ``error.log`` into that directory:

.. code-block:: bash

	$ curl -u user:pass -T error.log "https://example.com/nextcloud/remote.php/dav/files/USERNAME/$(date '+%d-%b-%Y')/error.log"

To move a file:

.. code-block:: bash

	$ curl -u user:pass -X MOVE --header 'Destination: https://example.com/nextcloud/remote.php/dav/files/USERNAME/target.jpg' https://example.com/nextcloud/remote.php/dav/files/USERNAME/source.jpg

To get the properties of files in the root folder:

.. code-block:: bash

	$ curl -X PROPFIND -H "Depth: 1" -u user:pass https://example.com/nextcloud/remote.php/dav/files/USERNAME/ | xml_pp
	<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
    <d:multistatus xmlns:d="DAV:" xmlns:oc="http://nextcloud.org/ns" xmlns:s="http://sabredav.org/ns">
      <d:response>
        <d:href>/nextcloud/remote.php/dav/files/USERNAME/</d:href>
        <d:propstat>
          <d:prop>
            <d:getlastmodified>Tue, 13 Oct 2015 17:07:45 GMT</d:getlastmodified>
            <d:resourcetype>
              <d:collection/>
            </d:resourcetype>
            <d:quota-used-bytes>163</d:quota-used-bytes>
            <d:quota-available-bytes>11802275840</d:quota-available-bytes>
            <d:getetag>"561d3a6139d05"</d:getetag>
          </d:prop>
          <d:status>HTTP/1.1 200 OK</d:status>
        </d:propstat>
      </d:response>
      <d:response>
        <d:href>/nextcloud/remote.php/dav/files/USERNAME/welcome.txt</d:href>
        <d:propstat>
          <d:prop>
            <d:getlastmodified>Tue, 13 Oct 2015 17:07:35 GMT</d:getlastmodified>
            <d:getcontentlength>163</d:getcontentlength>
            <d:resourcetype/>
            <d:getetag>"47465fae667b2d0fee154f5e17d1f0f1"</d:getetag>
            <d:getcontenttype>text/plain</d:getcontenttype>
          </d:prop>
          <d:status>HTTP/1.1 200 OK</d:status>
        </d:propstat>
      </d:response>
    </d:multistatus>


.. _KB2668751: https://support.microsoft.com/kb/2668751
.. _KB2123563: https://support.microsoft.com/kb/2123563
.. _WebDAV Navigator: http://seanashton.net/webdav/
.. _Android devices: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.schimera.webdavnavlite
.. _iPhones: https://itunes.apple.com/app/webdav-navigator/id382551345
.. _BlackBerry devices: http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/46816