By default, Nextcloud stores all its files inside a hidden database structure on your internal drive. If you want Nextcloud to read files from a USB drive or your Jellyfin media folder, you must use the External Storage plugin.
Overview
The External Storage plugin allows you to take any folder on the LocalNode (like /media/movies or an external drive mounted at /mnt/storage/BackupDrive) and mount it as a visible folder inside the Nextcloud web interface. This is how you allow Nextcloud to interact with files used by other apps.
Step 1: Enabling the External Storage app
Log into Nextcloud with your Admin account.
Click your profile picture in the top right and select Apps.
In the left sidebar, click on "Disabled apps" or search for "External storage support".
Find External storage support and click Enable.
Step 2: Configuring the mount point
Now we must tell Nextcloud exactly where the drive is located.
Click your profile picture again and select Administration settings.
In the left sidebar, scroll down to the Administration section and click External storages.
In the "Folder name" box, type the name you want to appear in Nextcloud (e.g., "USB Drive").
Under "External storage", select Local from the dropdown menu.
Under "Authentication", select None.
Under "Configuration", type the absolute path to the drive (e.g., /mnt/storage/MyUSB).
Nextcloud documentation screenshot (nextcloud/documentation, AGPL / CC BY-SA depending on section).
Step 3: Setting user permissions
By default, when you mount a drive, only the Admin can see it.
In the same row where you just configured the drive, look for the "Available for" box.
Type the names of the family members who should have access to this drive, or leave it blank to give access to everyone.
Click the checkmark on the far right to save the configuration.
If the path is correct, a green circle will appear next to the folder name. If it turns red, the path is wrong or Nextcloud does not have permission to read that folder.
Now, if you return to the main Files app, you will see a folder named "USB Drive" with a small external link icon on it. You can interact with these files exactly as if they were natively inside Nextcloud.
💡 Tip: If you add files to the external drive via a different app (like dragging movies in via File Explorer), they might not immediately show up in Nextcloud. Nextcloud must scan external drives periodically to detect new files.
