Accessing your files from other devices

You can share files and folders from your Umbrel so other devices on your local network can access them — like a personal Dropbox. Shared folders appear as network drives on your computer or phone, letting you browse, open, and save files directly.

Set up file sharing

1. Go to Settings > File sharing > Configure.
2. Choose what to share — Everything to share your entire Home folder, or Specific folders to pick individual folders from your Home folder or an external USB drive.

You can also right-click any folder in Files and select Share over network to share it directly.

Once sharing is enabled, you'll see a username and password in your file sharing settings. These are separate from your Umbrel login credentials — you'll need them to connect from other devices.

Share folders on external drives

On devices that support external storage, folders on external USB drives can be shared over your local network just like folders on internal storage. Plug in the drive, open Settings > File sharing > Configure, choose Specific folders, click Add, then select the drive or a folder under External storage.

If the drive is disconnected, the shared folder will show as unavailable and won't be published over the network until the drive is connected again. Always eject the drive in Files before unplugging it.

Connect from your devices

After setting up file sharing, the UI will show you step-by-step instructions for connecting from macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, and other Umbrels. You'll need the SMB address, username, and password shown in your file sharing settings.

Use as a Time Machine backup

You can use a shared folder on your Umbrel as a Time Machine backup location for your Mac. The instructions for setting this up are shown in your file sharing settings under macOS.

Use as a backup location for another Umbrel

If you have two Umbrels, one can back up to the other. Share a folder on the destination Umbrel, then set it as a backup location on the other. Instructions are shown in your file sharing settings.

Accessing files remotely

File sharing works over your local network. To access your files when you're away from home, see Remote access.

Security

Shared folders are protected by the username and password shown in your file sharing settings. Only devices on your local network that have these credentials can access your shared files.

Managing shared folders

Go to Settings > File sharing > Configure to see your shared folders, add new ones, or stop sharing. You can also disable file sharing entirely from the same page. If you're sharing your entire Home folder, individual folders don't need to be shared separately.