What is WebDAV? How to Map WebDAV Drive on Windows 11, 10, 8 & 7? Use WebDAV as Cloud File Server

WebDAV means "Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning". It is an HTTP-based protocol that enables editing files in the cloud.

Microsoft Windows operating systems have a built-in WebDAV client that can map network drives using the WebDAV protocol. If you have a WebDAV server, it can act as a file server in the cloud. You can map network drives from anywhere. Thus you don't need a file server in each office.

Within a local network, Windows can map network drives to a regular file server using the SMB protocol. However, the SMB protocol does not work over the Internet. On the other hand, WebDAV is HTTP-based, so it was designed to work over the Internet.

Launch Windows File Explorer, right click on This PC (or Network), click More Options and then click Map Network Drive. Select a drive letter, and enter a WebDAV URL for the folder path.

A WebDAV URL is like:
or

Check "Connect using different credentials". Click Finish, then log in with your username and password on the WebDAV server. It will map a drive and open a new File Explorer window.

You can right click on the drive name to change it to a more friendly name.

You can map multiple WebDAV drives, e.g. you can map a subfolder as a new drive.

After a drive is mapped, it is just like a local drive. Anybody knows how to use it. WebDAV does not synchronize data between the server and the PC, thus it does not use local storage space.

WebDAV supports file locking for group sharing and collaboration. Other cloud storage services usually cannot support it.

A regular WebDAV solution has a few weaknesses, mainly on performance, reliability and file size limit. DriveHQ's WebDAV service has been around for over 15 years. It is extremely easy, efficient, reliable and low-cost if you use the Drive Mapping Tool software.

To download the Drive Mapping Tool:
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[DriveHQCameraFTP]

This video offers very detailed information about how to map a WebDAV cloud drive. If you don't have a WebDAV server, please watch this video:
It offers very detailed step-by-step guide on how to use DriveHQ's Cloud File Server / WebDAV Drive Mapping service. It is easier than other WebDAV service as DriveHQ offers WebDAV Drive Mapping Tool for Windows and Mac.
It can completely replace your in-house file servers.

[alexzedlin]

Does it synchronize files? I hope it does not. Also, does it support iphone/iPad?

[paul]

Having a hell of a time trying to set my folder to be public so people don't have to type in my password to see it. Maybe it's because I'm on a mac