Enabling and using WebDAV on the Synology

WebDAV is an extension of HTTP that lets you mount remote storage like a local network drive — right in the Mac Finder or Windows Explorer, over the internet, with HTTPS encryption. From our day-to-day: the best protocol if you don’t want a VPN but still want the Synology at our place as a network drive.

Compared to SMB, WebDAV has advantages that count in an internet setup:

• HTTPS-based: runs on standard port 443 (or 5006), no ISP blocks it.
• Encryption by default: TLS 1.2/1.3, no “SMB in cleartext” risk.
• Auth via DSM: same users and permissions as the DSM login.

One point up front: 2FA doesn’t apply to WebDAV. WebDAV uses HTTP Basic Auth; there’s no TOTP prompt at mount time. So: strong password, better yet a dedicated user with minimal rights (see best practices below).

Downside: with many small files, slower than SMB, because of HTTP overhead per request.

Enabling the WebDAV server

1. Package Center → search for “WebDAV Server” → Install.
2. Open WebDAV Server (its own icon in the DSM main menu).
3. HTTP / HTTPS tab:
   • Check Enable HTTPS (keep HTTP off, no exceptions).
   • HTTPS port: 5006 (default), or change it if you want a custom port.
4. Save.

If you’ve set up Let’s Encrypt for your Synology (see Setting up a Let’s Encrypt certificate), WebDAV automatically uses that certificate — no extra setup.

Checking permissions

On a WebDAV server, the rule is: all shared folders the logging-in user has access to are visible.

If a user shouldn’t see certain shares, restrict accordingly in Control Panel → User & Group → Permissions.

Mounting on macOS

In the Finder:

1. Cmd+K or Go → Connect to Server.
2. URL: https://<deine-synology-domain>:5006
   • Example: https://12345.nas.xaweho.de:5006
3. Click Connect.
4. Log in with your DSM user and password. There’s no TOTP prompt here — 2FA doesn’t apply to WebDAV.
5. Save to the keychain for automatic login.

Important: macOS has a WebDAV bug that’s been known for years — some shares show empty contents on the first mount. The trick: unmount once and reconnect, then it works.

Mounting on Windows

Windows Explorer:

1. This PC → right-click → Map network drive.
2. Pick a drive letter.
3. Folder: \\<deine-synology-domain>@SSL@5006\<freigabename>
   • Example: \\12345.nas.xaweho.de@SSL@5006\Dokumente
4. Check Connect using different credentials.
5. Log in.

Watch out for a Windows quirk: by default, the Windows WebDAV client has a file-size limit of 50 MB. Uploading larger files throws errors.

Fix in the registry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WebClient\Parameters\FileSizeLimitInBytes

Set it to 4294967295 (4 GB), restart the WebClient service. Larger files work after that.

Mounting on Linux

# Install davfs2
sudo apt install davfs2

# Mount
sudo mount -t davfs https://12345.nas.xaweho.de:5006/Dokumente /mnt/synology

On the first mount, davfs2 asks for credentials. Persist them in /etc/davfs2/secrets:

/mnt/synology  DEIN-USER  DEIN-PASSWORT

Lock it down with chmod 600 /etc/davfs2/secrets.

WebDAV apps on your smartphone

iOS and Android have no native WebDAV client with a Finder-style mount. Instead:

• The Synology Drive app doesn’t speak WebDAV directly, but is functionally similar (sync, browse).
• Documents by Readdle (iOS) — handles WebDAV mounts, good app for file browsing.
• Solid Explorer (Android) — WebDAV support built in.

For pure smartphone use, we recommend Synology Drive — the experience is better there.

Compatibility with other apps

WebDAV is directly supported by many third-party apps:

• Notes apps like Obsidian, Joplin: sync over WebDAV.
• Office suites like LibreOffice: can save straight to WebDAV.
• Backup tools like rclone: use WebDAV as a target.

The list is long — if an app offers “WebDAV sync”, it works with your Synology.

Best practices from our day-to-day

A dedicated user per WebDAV use case. If you want an app to have read-only access, create a user with read-only permission on the relevant folder. That way the damage stays contained if the app’s credentials leak somewhere.

Use app passwords when 2FA is active. DSM supports app-specific passwords — a separate token per app, individually revocable. Handy for WebDAV clients that can’t do 2FA.

Mind bandwidth limits. If you sync many large files over WebDAV, it can strain the internet connection. The Synology has no direct WebDAV bandwidth limits — some apps bring their own.

Cache problems with macOS WebDAV. If files look “wrong” after a change, it’s often macOS’ Finder cache. Cmd+Option+R for a hard reload, or rebuild the mount.

Frequently asked questions

Is WebDAV slower than SMB? With many small files: yes, noticeably. HTTP overhead per request costs. With large files (>100 MB): no perceptible difference.

Does WebDAV work with an Apple iCloud Drive account? No. iCloud Drive is an Apple-proprietary sync service. WebDAV is a standard protocol that Apple apps like the Finder support, but iCloud Drive itself can’t do WebDAV.

How many parallel WebDAV sessions can the NAS handle? Plus models manage 50–100 without problems. Beyond that (say, multi-user scenarios), the nginx server in DSM may need tuning — ask us if you hit limits.

Can I edit office documents directly in the WebDAV mount? Microsoft Word and LibreOffice: yes, you open the file straight from the mount and save back. Works almost always in practice — Word occasionally has brief lock conflicts when two users open the same file in parallel.

What if I use WebDAV and SMB at the same time? No problem. WebDAV and SMB write to the same shared folders; Btrfs treats them as equivalent writes. On locks (an open file): first come, first served.

Does WebDAV encrypt the data on the server? Only the connection (TLS). Data on the Synology is unencrypted, unless you have an encrypted shared folder.

Do I need a separate WebDAV URL for every shared folder? No. After logging in, you automatically see all shares — like directories in a root folder.

What’s next

• Setting up and mounting SMB/CIFS shares
• Setting up a Let’s Encrypt certificate
• Pointing your own domain at your Synology