Cyberduck guide

What Cyberduck is and how to connect it to a WebDAV server

Cyberduck gives you a window onto a remote server, much like a file manager. Here is what it is, what it costs (nothing, unless you want to donate) and how to connect it to a WebDAV address with a path.

Updated 5 October 2026 · 5 min read

If the command line isn't for you, Cyberduck is the usual alternative for reaching a WebDAV server from a computer. It opens a window that lists the folders and files on the server, and you work with them from there. This guide explains what it is and how to connect it properly, including the one setting that most often trips people up: the path.

What Cyberduck is

Its website calls it “a libre server and cloud storage browser for Mac and Windows”. Besides WebDAV it speaks FTP, SFTP, Amazon S3, OpenStack Swift, Backblaze B2, Microsoft Azure and OneDrive, Google Drive and Dropbox. It is released under the GPL licence and the source code is public. There is also a command-line version, Cyberduck CLI, for Linux, macOS and Windows.

• Cost: free. In the project's words, “Cyberduck is free software, but it still costs money to write, support, and distribute it.” If you donate (minimum 10 USD), you receive a registration key that turns off the donation prompt shown after installing or updating. The key is personal and works on more than one computer.
• Requirements: Cyberduck 8.1 and later needs Mac OS X 10.12 or later. On Windows it needs a 64-bit Windows 7 SP1, 8.1, or 10 (build 14393) and later, plus .NET Framework 4.7.2.
• Version: at the time of writing (October 2026), the download page offers 9.5.4.

What you need before you start

Download Cyberduck from cyberduck.io. Then gather the WebDAV details. For LifetimeCloud you'll find them under “Profile” → “Full profile & settings” → “WebDAV / rclone Access” → “+ Enable WebDAV”:

• server: lifetimecloud.me
• path: /dav/<username>/ (the full address is https://lifetimecloud.me/dav/<username>/)
• username: your LifetimeCloud username
• password: the WebDAV token, not your account password

Connect with a bookmark

Cyberduck's documentation says that when you need options like Path you should create a bookmark rather than a quick connection. Since our address has a path, the bookmark is the reliable way:

1. Open the bookmark view: “Bookmarks” → “Toggle Bookmarks” (⌘B on Mac, Ctrl+B on Windows).
2. Click the + button at the bottom left to create a new bookmark.
3. In the protocol menu choose “WebDAV (HTTP/SSL)”. Not “WebDAV (HTTP)”: the SSL version is the one that encrypts the connection.
4. Server: lifetimecloud.me. Username: your username.
5. Set Path to /dav/<username>/. Depending on the version, the field may sit in a section with more options.
6. Close the bookmark window and double-click the bookmark. If Cyberduck asks for the password, paste the WebDAV token.

Cyberduck stores the password in the macOS Keychain or in the Windows Credential Manager. To change the bookmark later: “Bookmark” → “Edit Bookmark” (⌘E / Ctrl+E). If you already opened a connection with “File” → “Open Connection…” (⌘O / Ctrl+O), “Bookmark” → “New Bookmark” (⌘⇧B / Ctrl+Shift+B) saves it as a bookmark, and you can add the path there.

Field labels in the dialog can differ slightly between versions and languages. Cyberduck's documentation doesn't spell them all out, so look for the meaning, not the exact word. The standard port for HTTPS is 443.

Working with your files

Once connected, the window shows your folders and files. From there you browse, upload and download; the Cyberduck documentation describes the transfer options. A few things specific to how a WebDAV server like ours behaves:

• Deleting is permanent. On LifetimeCloud a file deleted over WebDAV does not go to the trash. Be careful with multiple selections.
• Overwriting keeps the old version. Over WebDAV the history keeps the last 3 versions for 30 days.
• Files uploaded from the website appear with their names, but they are encrypted: downloading them through Cyberduck gives you data you can't open. Download those from the website.
• Cyberduck doesn't lock files while you edit them, and modification dates are kept only if the server supports it.

An important note on encryption

Choosing “WebDAV (HTTP/SSL)” protects the connection. It does not encrypt the files themselves. On LifetimeCloud, files uploaded over WebDAV are stored as they arrive: they are not end-to-end encrypted by us. Our website can open them, and if you create a share link to one of them, the link serves it unencrypted.

If that's not acceptable for some files, you have two options:

• upload them from the website, where their content is encrypted on your device before it leaves, with AES-256-GCM;
• or use rclone with a crypt remote, which encrypts on your computer. Then only rclone with your crypt password can read them, not the website. The rclone and WebDAV guide explains how.

Where LifetimeCloud fits

WebDAV works on every LifetimeCloud plan, including the free one: 1 GB, up to 50 files and 50 MB per file, no card. That's enough to set up Cyberduck and test it. For more space there are the 1 TB and 2 TB plans, paid once with no subscription; current prices are on the plans page. And whatever tool you use, keep more than one copy of what matters: see the 3-2-1 backup rule.