# Using Files

Updated February 23, 2026

Files is your Umbrel's built-in file manager. It works like the file browser on your computer — drag and drop, keyboard shortcuts, right-click menus, and all the usual ways to select and manage files.

## [Open Files](/content/support/files/using-files#open-files/index.html)

Click **Files** in the dock on your home screen.

## [The sidebar](/content/support/files/using-files#the-sidebar/index.html)

The sidebar gives you quick access to:

- **Home** — your personal files and folders.
- **Recents** — files you've recently opened or modified.
- **Apps** — browse data stored by your installed apps.
- **Favorites** — folders you've pinned for quick access. Right-click any folder and select **Add to favorites**.
- **Shared folders** — folders you're sharing over your local network.
- **Network** — Umbrels, NAS devices, or shared drives you've added from your network.
- **External storage** — any USB drives connected to your Umbrel.
- **Trash** — deleted files. Items stay in Trash until you restore them or empty the Trash to permanently free up space.
- **Rewind** — jump back in time to recover files from past [backups](/content/support/backups-and-recovery/using-rewind/index.html).

## [Things to try](/content/support/files/using-files#things-to-try/index.html)

- **Upload** files and folders by dragging them into the Files window, or use the **Upload** button.
- **Download** files by right-clicking and selecting **Download**. You can select multiple files and download them at once.
- **Preview** images, audio, and video directly in Files. Press **Space** to quickly preview a selected file.
- **Right-click** any file or folder to rename, copy, cut, paste, compress, download, trash, and more.
- **Drag and drop** files to move them — onto a folder, a sidebar item, or a folder name in the path bar. Hover over a folder while dragging to open it without letting go.
- **Sort** by name, date modified, size, or type, and switch between list and icon view.
- **Navigate** by clicking any folder name in the path bar, or right-click the path bar and select **Go to** to type a path directly.
- If a file with the same name already exists when moving or copying, you'll be given the option to replace it, keep a copy, or skip it.

## [Keyboard shortcuts](/content/support/files/using-files#keyboard-shortcuts/index.html)

Most keyboard shortcuts you're used to work in Files — copy, paste, select all, undo, delete, and so on. A few handy ones:

- **⌘/Ctrl + ↑** — go up a folder
- **⌘/Ctrl + ↓** — open selected folder
- **Shift + click** or **Shift + arrow keys** — select a range of items
- **⌘/Ctrl + click** — add individual items to your selection
- **/** — jump to the search bar
- **Space** — quick preview

## [External drives](/content/support/files/using-files#external-drives/index.html)

Plug a USB drive into your Umbrel and it will appear under **External storage** in the sidebar. You can browse, upload to, and manage files on it just like your internal storage. External drives can't currently be used to store or run apps — apps run from your Umbrel's internal storage.

If your drive's format isn't supported, Files will offer to format it as exFAT (for compatibility with Windows, macOS, and Linux) or ext4 (for better performance with umbrelOS).

External storage is available on Umbrel Home, Umbrel Pro, and amd64 devices. It is not supported on Raspberry Pi — the Pi cannot reliably power external drives via USB, which can lead to data corruption.

For more on external storage, see [External storage](/content/support/storage/external-storage/index.html).

## [Network devices](/content/support/files/using-files#network-devices/index.html)

You can browse files on other Umbrels, NAS devices, or shared drives on your network, but network devices can't currently be used to store or run apps. Click the **+** next to **Network** in the sidebar to add a device. Devices on your network will be auto-discovered — if yours doesn't show up, you can enter the server details manually.

For more on network devices, see [Adding network devices](/content/support/files/adding-network-devices/index.html).

## [Sharing folders](/content/support/files/using-files#sharing-folders/index.html)

You can share any folder on your Umbrel so other devices on your network can access it. Right-click a folder and select **Share over network**. For more details, see [Accessing your files from other devices](/content/support/files/accessing-your-files-from-other-devices/index.html).

## [Rewind](/content/support/files/using-files#rewind/index.html)

Accidentally deleted or overwrote a file? If you have [backups](/content/support/backups-and-recovery/backing-up-your-data/index.html) set up, you can use [Rewind](/content/support/backups-and-recovery/using-rewind/index.html) to jump back in time and recover files from past backups. Click **Rewind** in the sidebar, or right-click any file or folder and select **Rewind**.