File Station is the classic file manager in DSM — like Finder on macOS or Explorer on Windows, just in the browser. When you only want to quickly upload something, download something or generate a sharing link, File Station is usually the fastest route.
When File Station, when Synology Drive
Both allow file operations. The difference:
- File Station is the classic file manager with every DSM feature (FTP connections, remote mounts, ZIP commands, etc.). More power, more traditional UI.
- Synology Drive (browser) is the modern sync-hub UI with version history, co-editing and collaboration features — primarily for files you sync with Drive.
From our experience: File Station for power actions, Synology Drive for everyday file work.
Starting File Station
In the DSM main menu → File Station. A window opens with the file list.
Left: folder tree. Right: contents of the current folder. Top: toolbar with actions.
What you see by default
Your account comes with a default folder called /home — your personal area. Inside it, subfolders like:
DocumentsPhotosSync(from the Drive client)
You can create as many additional folders as you like.
Everything you see here belongs to your account — storageDRIVE is single-user storage.
File actions
Upload
- Drag and drop: drag a file from your local file manager into the File Station window
- Or toolbar → Upload → select the file
- Multiple files at once are possible
- Whole folders via drag and drop too, in modern browsers
Upload limit: no technical cap other than your remaining quota. A 50 GB file works — it just might take a while.
Download
- Click a file or folder → Action → Download
- For folders: automatically packed as a ZIP
- The browser download starts
Creating folders
- Toolbar → Create → Folder
- Enter a name
- Confirm
Rename / move / delete
- Right-click the file or folder
- Pick the action
- On delete: it goes to the recycle bin (
#recyclefolder), only truly gone after the recycle bin is emptied
ZIP archives
- Select multiple files → right-click → Compress to ZIP
- The ZIP is created in the same folder
- Handy for sending by email
Also extracting: right-click the ZIP → Extract.
Preview
Click a file → a preview opens:
- Images: gallery view
- PDFs: PDF viewer (see Text Editor and PDF Viewer)
- Office files (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx): preview, editable too with Synology Drive
- Videos: small preview; for full playback use the Drive app
- Text files: directly in the Text Editor
Creating sharing links
In File Station: right-click a file or folder → Share. A dialog appears with:
- Generate a public link
- Set a password
- Expiry date
- Read or write permissions
More in Sharing with external people.
File Station toolbar — key actions
| Toolbar button | Function |
|---|---|
| Upload | File from your local machine |
| Create | New folder / new file |
| Action | Move, copy, rename, properties |
| Tools | ZIP, search, create FTP connection |
| Settings | File Station settings |
Search
Toolbar → Tools → Search. Finds files by:
- File name (wildcards too)
- File type
- Size
- Modification date
- Content (for text/Office files, if the full-text index is active)
With large collections, searching can take a while.
File properties
Right-click → Properties. Shows:
- Storage path
- File size
- Creation / modification date
- Owner / group / permissions
- Sharing status
- Version history (linked to snapshots)
Multiple tabs
File Station supports multiple tabs (two-window mode). Handy for moving between folders:
- Toolbar → New tab, or drag and drop between tabs
Viewing folder permissions
Right-click a folder → Properties → Permissions. Shows which users/groups have access.
Here you also see whether an active sharing link exists on a folder.
Frequently asked questions
Can I drag and drop between File Station and my desktop? Yes, in modern browsers. Drag a file from File Station to the desktop → download. Drag a file from the desktop into File Station → upload.
How do I download a folder? Right-click → Download. It gets created as a ZIP. For large folders (10+ GB), better to use the Synology Drive client with selective sync.
What is @eaDir?
A hidden Synology system folder for thumbnails and metadata. You don’t need to worry about it — leave it alone.
Can I pull files into File Station from an external server (FTP, another cloud)? Tools → Remote connection. File Station can connect to FTP/SFTP servers and transfer files directly to your storage, without a detour through your machine.
Performance with lots of files — is that a problem? File Station gets sluggish with 10,000+ files in one folder. Our recommendation: a folder hierarchy with at most ~1,000 files per level.
Version history — where do I find it? Right-click a file → Properties → Version history. Shows earlier snapshots of the file. Direct restore with one click.
How much storage do I have left — can you see that in File Station? Bottom status bar: your usage against your plan’s quota.
Can I change file permissions myself?
Within your /home area, yes — and that’s all there is with storageDRIVE: your account, your folders, your permissions.
What’s next
First login to DSM
What you receive after ordering and how to log in to your storageDRIVE account for the first time.
Account and quota — how your storageDRIVE storage works
One plan, one user account, a fixed quota: what counts toward the quota, what happens when it's full, and how upgrades work.
Mounting storageDRIVE as a drive (SMB)
How to connect your storageDRIVE via SMB as a drive — in the Mac Finder, Windows Explorer and as a mount on Linux. Step by step, including auto-mount and Time Machine.
Using Synology Drive in the browser
Synology Drive is the modern sync hub in DSM. Browser view with version history, Office editing, sharing — and the link to all Drive clients.