SMBDrop

The iPhone Files app's Connect to Server: what it can and can't do

By Isaac Griffiths, developer of SMBDrop ·

Since iOS 13, the iPhone's Files app has had a built-in SMB client. Tap Connect to Server, type an address, and your NAS or shared folder appears next to iCloud Drive. It's free, it's from Apple, and for a lot of people it's all they'll ever need.

It's also not a backup tool, and it was never meant to be one. This guide covers what Connect to Server does well, where it runs out (especially for photos and videos), and how to tell whether you need anything more.

Disclosure: I make SMBDrop, an app that fills some of the gaps described here. I've tried to be fair to the Files app; it's genuinely good at what it's for.

How to connect

  1. Open Files and go to the Browse tab.
  2. Tap the ⋯ button at the top and choose Connect to Server.
  3. Enter smb:// followed by the server's IP address or name, e.g. smb://192.168.1.50.
  4. Choose Registered User and enter the username and password for the server (Guest works only if the server allows it, which most shouldn't).

The server then appears under Shared in the Browse tab, and you can open any share your account can see. Setting up the server side is covered in the guides for Synology, Unraid and TrueNAS and Windows.

What it does well

If your goal is "occasionally grab a PDF from the NAS" or "drop a few documents into a shared folder", stop here. The Files app is the right tool.

Where it runs out

1. There's no automatic backup

Connect to Server is a file browser. It doesn't watch your photo library, it doesn't sync folders, and there's no schedule. Every copy is something you start by hand. If you want new photos to reach your NAS without remembering to do it, you need an app that backs up, or Apple's own Shortcuts, which can be made to work but is fiddly to keep reliable.

2. Getting photos there means going through the share sheet

Photos live in the Photos library, not in Files, so the route is: select photos in Photos → Share → Save to Files → navigate to the server → Save. That works, but it's a lot of taps for a regular habit, and with large selections it's easy to lose track of what you've already copied.

3. You might not get the original file

When you share from Photos, iOS can convert what it sends. Since iOS 17, the share sheet has an Options menu with a format choice (Automatic, Current, or Most Compatible, which means JPEG and H.264) and an All Photos Data switch, which Apple documents for AirDrop and iCloud links rather than Save to Files. If you want originals, choose Current rather than Most Compatible, and check it each time, because the choice is easy to miss. Then verify what arrived: on the server, the file should keep its original extension (.HEIC stays .HEIC), be roughly the size Photos shows in the photo's info panel, and still carry its capture date, camera and location. On a Mac, Finder's Get Info or Preview's Inspector shows these. Copying and pasting a photo, rather than saving it, can also produce a JPEG instead of the original HEIC.

4. Live Photos usually lose their video half

A Live Photo is two files: a still image and a short video. Saving a Live Photo to Files typically gives you just the still. If the motion matters to you, you'll want a method that copies both halves. How Live Photos and originals are stored, and how to check a copy goes into the details.

5. Big transfers want you to wait

Copies through the Files app happen while you watch. Large batches, especially of videos, can take a while, and they're at their most reliable if you leave the screen on and the app open. If a copy fails part-way, there's no queue to resume from; you work out what's missing and start again.

6. Duplicates and name clashes are up to you

If a file with the same name already exists on the share, Files asks what to do. That's sensible for documents, but on a photo library it means making decisions file by file, or risking two copies of the same photo under different names.

When a dedicated app helps

An app built for photo transfer can fill these gaps: reading straight from your photo library instead of going through the share sheet, sending untouched originals including both halves of Live Photos, continuing in the background, retrying failures, and backing up new photos automatically. There are several, each with a different angle:

The full list, with a comparison table, is in the best ways to back up iPhone photos to a NAS.

A simple way to decide

Even if you use an app for photos, keep the server in Files: it's still the handiest way to open a document from the NAS.

FAQ

Which iOS version added Connect to Server?

iOS 13 (and iPadOS 13). It has been in the Files app's Browse tab, under the ⋯ menu, ever since.

Does the iPhone Files app support SMB1?

No. It requires SMB 2 or later. If you can't connect to an old NAS, check whether it's limited to SMB1. If it is, update its firmware or settings rather than looking for an SMB1 client.

How do I save original photos to a NAS with the Files app?

In Photos, select the photos, tap Share, open Options at the top of the share sheet, choose Current as the format (not Most Compatible), then use Save to Files and pick the server. Check the result on the server: the file should keep its original type (for example .HEIC rather than .JPG) and a size close to the one shown in Photos, with capture date and location intact. Live Photos will usually be saved as the still image only.

Can the Files app back up my photos automatically?

No. It has no photo backup or folder sync. Shortcuts automations can approximate it, but for dependable automatic backup you need an app built for it.

Can I connect to my NAS from outside my home network?

Only through a VPN back to your network. Don't expose SMB to the internet.

More guides

Try SMBDrop

Send original photos, videos and files from your iPhone straight to your own SMB share. One purchase, no account, no subscription.

Download SMBDrop on the App Store £2.99 once · no subscription · iOS 17+