Serve

Share a remote or a folder over the network as HTTP, WebDAV, SFTP, FTP and more.

Serve shares a remote over the network. The computer running Rclone UI acts as the server, and other computers, phones and media players connect to it with the protocol you choose and see the files.

Where Mount makes the files available to applications on this computer, Serve makes them available to other devices.

Starting a Serve operation to share a remote over the network

Serve needs rclone 1.70 or newer. The Binary section in Settings shows a warning when the active rclone is older.

Workflow

Choose what to share

Open the toolbar and type serve. "Source" is a whole remote or one folder; a folder is the safer choice when others connect. Then pick a "Serve Type", how clients connect, from the protocol reference below. The Serve section with that protocol's options appears once a type is picked.

Set the options

addr is required: the address and port to listen on. A port alone listens on every interface, for other devices; the loopback address limits it to this computer, for testing. user and pass add a login where the protocol supports one; without them, everyone who can reach the port sees the files.

Hover any option to see its explanation. The full list is on rclone serve.

Start

Press "START SERVE". The server is live at once; the button becomes a "NEW SERVE" menu for the next one.

Managing active serves

The toolbar helps manage your active serve instances.

Running servers are listed in the toolbar. The server's entry copies its connection details, ready to paste into a browser or a client on another device; the "Stop" entry next to it stops that server, and "Stop All Serves" stops every one. A server stays up while Rclone UI runs and ends when you quit it.

Protocol reference

TypeUse it for
HTTPA plain web listing that any browser can open
WEBDAVMounting from another computer, and apps that speak WebDAV
SFTPCommand line and SFTP clients
FTPOlder devices and clients
DLNAMedia players and TVs on the local network
NFSMounting from macOS or Linux without FUSE
S3Tools that expect an S3 bucket
RESTICA backend for the restic backup program

Troubleshooting

  • The start button reads "Specify a listen address in the Serve options": open the Serve section and set addr.
  • The server runs but other devices cannot connect: addr is bound to the loopback address, or the firewall blocks the port.
  • The window refuses to start a server: the active rclone is older than 1.70. Pick or download a newer one in Settings, Binary.

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