--- title: "Connect a Mac to Amazon S3 and S3-compatible storage" description: "Use Amazon S3, Cloudflare R2, Backblaze B2, Wasabi, DigitalOcean Spaces, Google Cloud Storage or MinIO from your Mac: keys, endpoints, path-style and copying." url: https://anybucket.app/guides/s3-client-mac lang: en --- # Amazon S3 on your Mac, and every compatible store Amazon S3 and the stores that speak its API, from Cloudflare R2 to a MinIO server under your desk, in one window beside your Mac and your other servers. ## The short answer Get an **access key ID** and a **secret access key** from your provider. In AnyBucket, press **⇧⌘K**, pick the provider's tile (Amazon S3, Cloudflare R2, Backblaze B2, Wasabi, DigitalOcean Spaces, Google Cloud Storage or **S3-compatible**), fill in the region, account ID or endpoint it asks for, paste the keys and connect. The bucket opens like a folder: mark files with Space and press F5 to copy them to the other pane. ## What you need Every S3-compatible store signs requests with a pair of keys: - An **access key ID**, the public half, such as `AKIA…` on Amazon. - A **secret access key**, the private half. AnyBucket stores it in your login keychain, one item per bookmark. Create a key with access to the buckets you need, and nothing more. Most providers let you limit a key to one bucket and to read or read-and-write. ## Connect in five steps 1. Open AnyBucket and press **⇧⌘K** (**File → Connect to Server…**). 2. Under **Cloud Storage**, pick your provider's tile. Use **S3-compatible** for anything not listed. 3. Fill in the one field that says where the storage is: a region, an account ID or an endpoint (see the table below). 4. Paste the access key ID and the secret access key. Leave **Save Secret in Keychain** on unless you'd rather type it each time. 5. Optionally type a bucket and folder, give the bookmark a nickname, and press **Connect**. The bookmark joins the start page, each pane's source menu and the ⌘K palette. ## Where each provider lives Each tile asks for one thing and builds the endpoint from it: | Tile | You type | Endpoint AnyBucket uses | | --- | --- | --- | | Amazon S3 | A region, optional (`us-east-1`) | Amazon's own | | Cloudflare R2 | Your account ID | `https://.r2.cloudflarestorage.com` | | Backblaze B2 | The bucket's region (`us-west-004`) | `https://s3..backblazeb2.com` | | Wasabi | A region (`us-east-1`) | `https://s3..wasabisys.com` | | DigitalOcean Spaces | A datacenter (`nyc3`) | `https://.digitaloceanspaces.com` | | Google Cloud Storage | Nothing | `https://storage.googleapis.com` | | S3-compatible | The server's address | Whatever you type | Google Cloud Storage works through its S3-compatible interface, which uses **HMAC keys**: create an access key and secret for a service account or your user in the Cloud Storage settings, then paste them as above. ## MinIO and self-hosted stores For MinIO, LocalStack and other self-hosted servers, pick **S3-compatible** and type the server's address with its port, such as `https://minio.example.com:9000`. Then turn on **path-style addressing** in the bookmark. Amazon puts the bucket in the host name (`bucket.s3.amazonaws.com`); most self-hosted stores expect it in the path (`minio.example.com/bucket`). If a store connects but lists nothing, or refuses every request, path-style is the first thing to check. See [troubleshooting](https://anybucket.app/support/troubleshooting#s3-path-style). ## Copying, moving and big files A bucket behaves like a folder on your Mac: - **Upload:** put This Mac in the other pane, mark files with Space and press **F5**. Drag files in from Finder works too. - **Download:** the same, the other way round, or **⇧⌘D** to download to a folder you pick. - **Large files** go up in parts with multipart uploads, and a dropped connection retries on a fresh one. - **Inside the same server,** copies run server-side with **CopyObject**: nothing comes down to your Mac. - **Between providers,** say from Amazon S3 to Cloudflare R2, open one in each pane and press F5. Files stream through a small spool on your Mac. See [copy files between servers](https://anybucket.app/guides/copy-files-between-servers-mac). **⇧⌘C** copies a file's URL, and **F3** opens it in Quick Look. ## Keep a folder in step To back up a folder to a bucket, put the folder in one pane and the bucket in the other and press **⌥F5**. Compare & Sync lists every difference, and you choose to mirror one way or sync both ways. See [sync a folder with a server](https://anybucket.app/guides/sync-folder-with-server). ## Questions, answered ### Is AnyBucket a good S3 client for Mac? It's built for it: a native Mac app with a tile per provider, keys in your keychain, multipart uploads, server-side copies and a queue that survives quitting. It also puts S3 beside SFTP, FTP and WebDAV in the same window, so you can copy between them. [Try it live](https://anybucket.app/try) first. ### Which S3-compatible stores does it work with? Amazon S3, Cloudflare R2, Backblaze B2, Wasabi, DigitalOcean Spaces and Google Cloud Storage have their own tiles. MinIO, LocalStack and other stores connect through **S3-compatible** with their endpoint. ### Where is my secret key stored? In your login keychain, one item per bookmark. AnyBucket has no account and no cloud service of its own, so it never leaves your Mac except to sign requests to your provider. ### My bucket opens but shows nothing For self-hosted stores, turn on path-style addressing in the bookmark. Also check that the key may list the bucket, and that the region or endpoint is the bucket's own. ### Can I copy straight from one bucket to another? Yes. On the same server the copy runs server-side. Between two providers, open one in each pane and press F5: nothing needs to be downloaded by hand first. ## Read next - [Amazon S3 and compatible](https://anybucket.app/features/s3) - [Cloudflare R2 on a Mac](https://anybucket.app/guides/cloudflare-r2-mac) - [Backblaze B2 on a Mac](https://anybucket.app/guides/backblaze-b2-mac) - [Copy files between servers](https://anybucket.app/guides/copy-files-between-servers-mac) **Buy for $9.99:** https://buy.polar.sh/polar_cl_pCF9yOjezTUaUqMPyUsxEho1EjcOvo6Bk49Q929LQCQ --- AnyBucket is independent software by [Clever Mechanisms](https://clevermechanisms.dev). It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Apple Inc. or any storage provider. Independent software in the spirit of Cyberduck and the classic two-pane commanders. Not affiliated with iterate GmbH (Cyberduck). Apple, Mac, macOS, Finder and Quick Look are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries and regions. Amazon S3 is a trademark of Amazon.com, Inc. Other product names are trademarks of their owners. Email support: support@clevermechanisms.dev