Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

ahwman

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 11, 2007
67
4
Has anyone been successful in connecting to an Apple Time Capsule via the files app in iOS 13? I’m able to create the SMB connection, however when I try to browse the drive it says “Loading” but never displays files or folders...
 

casperes1996

macrumors 604
Jan 26, 2014
7,593
5,764
Horsens, Denmark
Has anyone been successful in connecting to an Apple Time Capsule via the files app in iOS 13? I’m able to create the SMB connection, however when I try to browse the drive it says “Loading” but never displays files or folders...

I've done it with no issues. But it's been a bit hit and miss from beta to beta. Haven't tested any of the more recent
 

casperes1996

macrumors 604
Jan 26, 2014
7,593
5,764
Horsens, Denmark
Thanks for the info. I’m on iOS 13.1 beta 3. I’ll test again with beta 4...


For what it's worth I just tested on the latest 13.1 on my iPad as of writing. "Operation not supported". I'll add that my Time Capsule uses the Apple File Protocol, so maybe it's not meant to work, and it wasn't meant to be an end-product feature when it did work in a previous beta.
 

Carlos51

macrumors member
Oct 13, 2017
87
86
Argentina
For what it's worth I just tested on the latest 13.1 on my iPad as of writing. "Operation not supported". I'll add that my Time Capsule uses the Apple File Protocol, so maybe it's not meant to work, and it wasn't meant to be an end-product feature when it did work in a previous beta.
Hi,
I have an Airport Extreme to which my Mac Mini is connected.
All the apps I have on my iPhone can connect to both using smb protocol, except for the files app bundled with IOS 13 GM.
Airport Extreme seems to be a no go with Files app but I could succeed connecting to my Mac mini.
smb://Mac-mini-de-XXXXX.local is the server address (My language is Spanish so your Mac's name might differ. XXXX is my name).
The login credentials were those of my Mac Mini.
So I can browse all my Mac Mini using the Files app on my iPhone.
With Airport Extreme I have tried all syntaxes getting all type of error messages. The closest I got was using smb://10.0.1.1 but upon login I cannot see the shares (empty screen).
Regards,
Carlos
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: thewhitehart

casperes1996

macrumors 604
Jan 26, 2014
7,593
5,764
Horsens, Denmark
I have an Airport Extreme to which my Mac Mini is connected.
All the apps I have can connect to both using smb protocol, except for my iPhone with IOS 13 GM.
Airport Extreme seems to be a no go with Files app but I could succeed connecting to my Mac mini.
smb://Mac-mini-de-Carlos.local is the server address (My language is Spanish so your Mac's name might differ).
The login credentials were those of my Mac Mini.
So I can browse all my Mac Mini using the Files app on my iPhone.
With Airport Extreme I have tried all syntaxes getting all type of error messages. The closest I got was using smb://10.0.1.1 but upon login I cannot see the shares (empty screen).
Regards,
Carlos


Hm. No matter what I try, I get the exact same error message, trying to connect to the AirPort Time Capsule. "Operation Not Supported". But thanks for your input.

Works on all other devices of course.
 

kerouack

macrumors member
Oct 8, 2015
45
4
Same problem, with apps like Infuse or Documents by reedle I can connect to my shared hd in the airport, but I can not with the files app in iOS 13.
 

Carlos51

macrumors member
Oct 13, 2017
87
86
Argentina
Hi,
I gave iPadOS 13.1 beta 4 a try. Same problem remains.
I can access my Mac mini but connection to shared drives in my AirPort Extreme is a no go.
All my other file manager apps, like FileExplorer/FileBrowser Biz/Documents/Infuse, work fine with my home network.
Apple should copy/paste de code used by them. It should not be that hard.
Carlos
 

RMLPSP

macrumors newbie
Sep 30, 2019
1
0
Even after the release of IOS 13.1.2 I am still having problems with this issue. I have an Time Capsule and can access the files on the disk via Reddle, but not the Files app. I have tried everything. Any updates?
 

The Man

macrumors 6502a
Jul 7, 2004
613
225
Even after the release of IOS 13.1.2 I am still having problems with this issue. I have an Time Capsule and can access the files on the disk via Reddle, but not the Files app. I have tried everything. Any updates?
iPadOS can only connect to SMB v2. Time Capsule uses earlier protocol. Bummer. Was also looking forward to it.
 

magicMac

macrumors 65816
Apr 13, 2010
1,012
427
UK
trouble with the files app?

i'm still surprised Apple actually added a files app to iOS, it's not co-incidence it wasn't there to begin with, Steve Jobs commonly said things like "the file system? who wants a file system? blah" and then this interview about it:

But it's still true today. We gravitate towards the file system, especially pro's, but often the applications themselves are better at managing files than people are (think huge windows desktop of PDFs and word files).

Regarding the OPs question, i couldn't get my iPad to even connect to a shared folder on my mac and gave up. If you well and truly need the file system, go down the mac/linux/PC route, iOS just wasn't built for it, it's not like once you've connected to the SMB share you can use git or do an "ls -l" and get a nice detailed view or tree view, or then use the mv command to bulk move files etc.

I personally prefer the file system because i'm that generation and the app managed approach is just a paradigm shift. But the good thing in macOS is you get a bit of both with iTunes and Photos app's as an example one can always right click and press "show in finder" to see the files, whilst at the same time those app's will put files into folders by date, location or artist, album etc...

iOS is better locked down as it was designed for consumers.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Velociround

MoneyMakerUDV

macrumors newbie
Oct 26, 2020
1
1
Maybe someone will find this useful:

To connect to TimeCapsule or AirPort disks you`ll need an app "Documents by Readdle" (it also has an integrated video player, for those who need to play video in the first place)
Can`t remember is it freeware or I paid for it, coz I had one already for a long time, when I suddenly find this solution

So, to connect to AirPort/timecapsule disks you`ll need to do the following:
(by the way, you don`t necessarly need to be connected to the same WiFi network and to be in the same subnet...(but all downfollowing is true for local usage anyway), for example, in my case, I connect through WiFi extender network. I think this is a nice bonus )) )

1. Hit Add New Connection (or just Add Connection... sorry i have a russian interface, so...)
2. Than select Windows SMB (no mistake, exacly this option)
3. Put in any name in the first string
4. Put in URL. In my case, URL is smb://10.0.1.1
In most cases yours will be the same, but if you ever change default IP range for local network in AirPort utility setup, than you should discover your own ("smb://" stays in any case)
5. Skip the domain string, if you don`t use domains
6. Enter Login and password, ones that you use to connect to timecapsule/airport wia "AirPort utility"

It works for me just fine, no "dancing around" at all )))

If you have any doubt, check "zero" step:

0. Ensure, that you know your timecapsule/airport name (by default, it`s something like "TimeCapsule for MacBook". This "name" works also as login. I advice to change it to something more usable (I mean... case sensitive login 23-24 characters long with spaces...?).
You can change this in AirPort utility->manual setup->Airport "section" (square "buttons" on top)->Timecapsule tab.
Than you also have to check Disks "section"->file sharing tab
- checkbox Enable File Sharing should be ON
- Secure Shared disks: with device password (probably not necessary, just in other case you should remeber one (or more) additional password(s) for your disk(s), and... I didn`t check if it works this way ))) )

P.S. If you need to connect to AirPort disk(s) from guest net, you should enable this option in AirPort utility->Disks-> File Sharing->AirPort disks Guest Access->Enable
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: nigameash

rikscha

macrumors 6502a
Mar 8, 2010
805
447
London
Maybe someone will find this useful:

To connect to TimeCapsule or AirPort disks you`ll need an app "Documents by Readdle" (it also has an integrated video player, for those who need to play video in the first place)
Can`t remember is it freeware or I paid for it, coz I had one already for a long time, when I suddenly find this solution

So, to connect to AirPort/timecapsule disks you`ll need to do the following:
(by the way, you don`t necessarly need to be connected to the same WiFi network and to be in the same subnet...(but all downfollowing is true for local usage anyway), for example, in my case, I connect through WiFi extender network. I think this is a nice bonus )) )

1. Hit Add New Connection (or just Add Connection... sorry i have a russian interface, so...)
2. Than select Windows SMB (no mistake, exacly this option)
3. Put in any name in the first string
4. Put in URL. In my case, URL is smb://10.0.1.1
In most cases yours will be the same, but if you ever change default IP range for local network in AirPort utility setup, than you should discover your own ("smb://" stays in any case)
5. Skip the domain string, if you don`t use domains
6. Enter Login and password, ones that you use to connect to timecapsule/airport wia "AirPort utility"

It works for me just fine, no "dancing around" at all )))

If you have any doubt, check "zero" step:

0. Ensure, that you know your timecapsule/airport name (by default, it`s something like "TimeCapsule for MacBook". This "name" works also as login. I advice to change it to something more usable (I mean... case sensitive login 23-24 characters long with spaces...?).
You can change this in AirPort utility->manual setup->Airport "section" (square "buttons" on top)->Timecapsule tab.
Than you also have to check Disks "section"->file sharing tab
- checkbox Enable File Sharing should be ON
- Secure Shared disks: with device password (probably not necessary, just in other case you should remeber one (or more) additional password(s) for your disk(s), and... I didn`t check if it works this way ))) )

P.S. If you need to connect to AirPort disk(s) from guest net, you should enable this option in AirPort utility->Disks-> File Sharing->AirPort disks Guest Access->Enable
Thanks! Awesome. I will try that and report back. Will take a while as I am sourcing a replacement at the moment
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.