Network volumes / connect to server

Fast access to NAS and server shares, plus tips for organizing them.

Network volumes / “Connect to Server”

If you work with NAS, SMB shares, or servers, Explorer supports fast access to network locations.

The Network view

Explorer can list mounted network volumes (non-local shares). This is useful when you have several shares mounted and want them in one place.

Connect to Server Studio (7 Network Protocols)

In the Network view or via the Command Palette (⌘K), open Connect to Server to mount remote storage and screen-sharing hosts:

  • 7 Supported Protocols: SMB (smb://), SFTP (sftp://), AFP (afp://), FTP (ftp://), NFS (nfs://), VNC Screen Sharing (vnc://), and WebDAV (https://).
  • 4 Quick Templates & Port Pills: 1-click templates (NAS Share, SFTP Host, Mac Screen, WebDAV) and port switcher pills (:445 SMB, :22 SFTP, :21 FTP, :5900 VNC) that update the URL port in place.
  • Live URL Endpoint Inspector: parses and validates your PROTOCOL, user@, host, :port, and /path in real time before connecting.
  • 1-Click Copy CLI Mount Command: copies the exact terminal command (e.g. sftp -P 22 user@host:/path or open "smb://...") to your clipboard.
  • Pinned Favorite Servers & Recent Hosts: star frequently used studio NAS or production SFTP servers for 1-click reconnection.

Tips

  • Add frequently used servers to Favorites.
  • Use descriptive names so you don’t mix “work” and “home” shares.

Troubleshooting

If a share doesn’t show up or access is denied, it’s usually a network credential issue or macOS permissions.

Next steps