FileBrowser: Self-Hosted Web File Manager with Sharing and User Management

TL;DR — Quick Summary

Deploy FileBrowser as a self-hosted web file manager. Browse, upload, share files via links, manage user permissions, and access storage from any browser.

Why FileBrowser?

You need web access to your server’s files. Not a full cloud suite — just a file manager:

Web interface — Browse, upload, download from any browser.
Share links — Password-protected, with expiration.
Multi-user — Different root directories and permissions.
Code editor — Edit text files in the browser.
Command runner — Execute scripts from the UI.
Single binary — No database, no dependencies.

Prerequisites

Docker on any Linux/macOS server.
A directory to serve files from.

Step 1: Deploy with Docker

docker run -d \
  --name filebrowser \
  --restart=always \
  -v /path/to/files:/srv \
  -v filebrowser-db:/database \
  -p 8080:80 \
  filebrowser/filebrowser

Default login: admin / admin (change immediately).

Step 2: User Permissions

Permission	Description
Admin	Full access to all files and settings
View	Browse and preview files
Create	Upload files and create folders
Rename	Rename files and folders
Delete	Remove files and folders
Share	Create shareable links
Download	Download files and folders
Execute	Run configured commands/scripts

FileBrowser vs Alternatives

Feature	FileBrowser	Nextcloud	Seafile	MinIO
Purpose	Web file manager	Full cloud suite	Sync + share	Object storage
Footprint	~10 MB binary	~500 MB+	~200 MB	~100 MB
Database	SQLite (embedded)	MySQL/PostgreSQL	MySQL/SQLite	None
Sync client	No	Yes	Yes	S3-compatible
Share links	Yes	Yes	Yes	Pre-signed URLs
Users	Yes	Yes	Yes	IAM policies
Best for	Simple file access	Full collab	Team sync	S3 API

Troubleshooting

Problem	Solution
Permission denied on uploads	Check Docker volume permissions; ensure the container user can write to /srv
Can’t access from network	Verify port mapping and firewall rules
Share link returns 404	Ensure the base URL is configured in Settings > Global Settings
Large file upload fails	Increase reverse proxy body size limit (e.g., `client_max_body_size 10G` in Nginx)

Summary

Web file manager — no sync client needed, just a browser.
Multi-user with granular permissions and separate root directories.
Share links with password protection and expiration.
Lightweight — single 10 MB binary, no external database.

Guide & Instructions

Estimated Time: 3m

Tools Needed:

FileBrowser
Docker
Browser

Deploy with Docker

docker run -d -p 8080:80 -v /srv:/srv filebrowser/filebrowser

Login

Open http://server:8080 with default credentials admin/admin.

Configure users

Create users with specific root directories and permissions.

Browse and share

Upload files, create share links, manage storage from the browser.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is FileBrowser and why use it?

FileBrowser is a self-hosted web-based file manager that provides a clean interface to browse, upload, download, and share files on your server. Think of it as a private Google Drive for your server's filesystem. It supports multiple users with different permissions, shareable links, and a built-in code editor.

How is FileBrowser different from Nextcloud?

FileBrowser is much lighter — it's a single binary that serves files directly from your filesystem. No database, no sync client, no app store. Nextcloud is a full collaboration suite (calendar, contacts, apps). Use FileBrowser when you just need web access to files.

Does FileBrowser support sharing?

Yes. Create shareable links for files or folders with optional password protection and expiration dates. Useful for sending large files without email attachments.

Can I restrict access to certain folders?

Yes. Create multiple users, each with their own root directory and permissions (view, create, rename, delete, share, download, execute). An admin can see everything while users only see their assigned folder.