How to Set Up a WebDAV Server on iPhone & iPad for File Access & Sharing

Artem Meleshko Founder & Engineer at Everappz

WebDAV turns a folder into a network drive that a computer can open in its normal file manager. It runs over the same web protocol your browser uses, which is why it travels well across Mac, Windows and Linux without special drivers. With Everdisk you can run a WebDAV server on your iPhone or iPad, so the phone shows up as a drive you can browse, copy from, and copy to from almost any computer.

WebDAV is the best pick when Windows is in the picture, because Windows File Explorer connects to it cleanly. This guide covers the setup and how to connect from a Mac, Windows, Linux, Android and a second iPhone.

What you need

• An iPhone or iPad with Everdisk installed.
• A computer or another device on the same Wi-Fi network.
• The files you want to share, in the Everdisk Documents folder or in folders you add.

Set up the WebDAV server in Everdisk

Step 1: Choose what to share and set access

Open Everdisk, go to the Sharing tab, and tap What to Share. The Documents folder is shared by default. Add more with Add Folder and Add File.

Open Settings, then Sharing, then Access. Set Files Editing on if you want connected computers to copy files onto your phone and rename or delete them, or off for a read only drive. Set a Login and Password here if you want a sign in, or leave them empty for guest access.

Step 2: Turn on the WebDAV server

Go to Settings, then Sharing, then Connections, and turn on Computer. That is the WebDAV server (it carries the WebDAV tag).

Step 3: Start sharing and note the address

Return to the Sharing tab and tap Start. The How to Connect section shows the WebDAV address. It looks like this:

http://192.168.1.20:8080

The number after the colon is the port, which is 8080 by default. The first part is your iPhone’s address on the Wi-Fi, so yours will differ. Keep Everdisk open on screen while a device is connected.

Connect from a Mac

1. Open Finder, choose Go, then Connect to Server (or press Command and K).
2. Type the WebDAV address shown in Everdisk, for example http://192.168.1.20:8080.
3. Click Connect, then choose Guest or enter your Login and Password.

Your iPhone opens in a Finder window and behaves like a normal folder. Copy files in either direction if Files Editing is on.

Connect from Windows

Windows has a built-in WebDAV client, so this works from File Explorer.

1. Open File Explorer, right-click This PC in the sidebar, and choose Add a network location (you can also use Map network drive).
2. When asked for the address, type the same WebDAV address from Everdisk, for example http://192.168.1.20:8080, then click Next.
3. Enter your Login and Password if you set one.

The device then appears under This PC as a network location you can open and copy files from. If Windows refuses to connect the first time, make sure the WebClient service is running (search Services in the Start menu, find WebClient, and set it to start), then try again.

Connect from Linux

1. Open your file manager and choose Connect to Server or Other Locations.
2. Enter the address with a WebDAV prefix, for example dav://192.168.1.20:8080 (use davs:// only if you set up TLS).
3. Connect as a guest or enter your login.

Connect from Android

Android has no system WebDAV browser, so use a file manager that supports it:

1. Install an app such as Solid Explorer or CX File Explorer.
2. Add a new WebDAV connection.
3. Enter the host and port 8080, choose the http scheme, and add your login if you set one.

Connect from another iPhone or iPad

The iOS Files app does not include a WebDAV client, so use one of these:

• Everdisk’s own Devices tab. On the second device, open Everdisk, go to Devices, tap New Connection, choose WebDAV, and enter the address, for example http://192.168.1.20:8080. This is the simplest route and needs nothing extra.
• A WebDAV app such as Documents by Readdle, which can add a WebDAV connection with the same address and login.

Prefer a quick link instead of a drive?

If you only need to grab a file fast and do not want to mount a drive at all, turn on the Browser connection in Settings, Sharing, Connections. Everdisk then gives you a web address you can open in any browser on any device to browse and download your files. It is the fastest way to hand a file to a Windows PC, a Chromebook or a friend’s phone.

Read only or read and write

The Files Editing switch in Settings, Sharing, Access decides this. On means connected computers can upload, rename and delete. Off means the drive is read only, so others can view and copy your files but cannot change them.

Real-life ways people use this

• Copy files onto your iPhone from a Windows PC by mapping it as a network location and dragging them across.
• Offload photos and documents to a laptop using the file manager you already know, with no cable and no iTunes.
• Edit a document in place from your Mac, opening it straight from the phone and saving back.
• Move a folder between an iPhone and an iPad using Everdisk’s Devices tab on the receiving device.

A few tips

• Keep Everdisk open while a device is connected. Locking the phone for a long time can pause the app.
• On Windows, if the connection fails, start the WebClient service and try the address again.
• WebDAV and SMB both mount as network drives. Use WebDAV when Windows is involved, and SMB when you want Finder speed and encryption.
• For the fastest transfers, keep photo and video quality on Original in Settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to try it? Download Everdisk from the App Store and mount your iPhone as a drive in a couple of minutes. Questions or feedback? Email us at [email protected].