New in version 2.5.4
- Fixed: Guest login (issue #32) — connections without credentials now use true anonymous login instead of "Guest", so Samba servers without "map to guest = Bad User" no longer reject them.
- Fixed: Anonymous sessions are restricted to SMB2 dialects to avoid a crash in the SMB library (smbj#792).
SambaLite is a lightweight, modern, and open-source Android client for SMB/CIFS shares (Samba).
It is designed as a minimalist, reliable, and secure tool for accessing SMB shares on your local network – without ads, tracking, or unnecessary features.
SambaLite is a file client, not a system-level filesystem. It focuses on accessing and transferring files, not on providing a mounted network drive.
The app is intended for tech-savvy users who prefer a lean, transparent solution and value privacy and open source.
Main features:
• Manage connections: SMB server (hostname/IP), share/path, username, password, optional domain
• Multiple connections with custom names
• Connection testing with clear error messages
• Secure credential storage (Android Keystore)
• File browser with name, type, size, and modification date
• Pull-to-refresh
• Sorting (name, date, size)
• File operations: download, upload, delete, rename
• File properties
• Dark/Light mode (system default)
Compatibility:
• Supports modern SMB2/SMB3 servers
• SMB1 is not supported (deprecated and insecure)
Security & Privacy:
• No telemetry or third-party connections
• No unencrypted storage of sensitive data
• Credentials stored securely using the Android Keystore
Permissions:
SambaLite only requests the permissions required for its functionality:
• Network access (SMB communication)
• Access to user-selected storage locations (via Android system file picker)
• Foreground service and notifications (for reliable background transfers and progress display)
No data is collected or transmitted to third parties.
SambaLite provides a modern, minimal, and privacy-friendly way to access SMB shares on Android – focused on reliability and transparency.
Donate
Versions
Although APK downloads are available below to give you the choice, you should be aware that by installing that way you will not receive update notifications and it's a less secure way to download. We recommend that you install the F-Droid client and use that.
Download F-Droid
-
This version requires Android 9.0 or newer.
It is built and signed by the original developer, and guaranteed to correspond to this source tarball.
Permissions
-
view network connections
Allows the app to view information about network connections such as which networks exist and are connected.
-
view Wi-Fi connections
Allows the app to view information about Wi-Fi networking, such as whether Wi-Fi is enabled and name of connected Wi-Fi devices.
-
run foreground service
Allows the app to make use of foreground services.
-
run foreground service with the type "dataSync"
Allows the app to make use of foreground services with the type "dataSync"
-
have full network access
Allows the app to create network sockets and use custom network protocols. The browser and other applications provide means to send data to the internet, so this permission is not required to send data to the internet.
-
show notifications
Allows the app to show notifications
-
run at startup
Allows the app to have itself started as soon as the system has finished booting. This can make it take longer to start the phone and allow the app to slow down the overall phone by always running.
-
ask to ignore battery optimizations
Allows an app to ask for permission to ignore battery optimizations for that app.
-
use biometric hardware
Allows the app to use biometric hardware for authentication
-
use fingerprint hardware
Allows the app to use fingerprint hardware for authentication
-
prevent phone from sleeping
Allows the app to prevent the phone from going to sleep.
-
de.schliweb.sambalite.DYNAMIC_RECEIVER_NOT_EXPORTED_PERMISSION
Download APK
15 MiB
PGP Signature
|
Build Log
New in version 2.5.3
- Added: Optional default folder per connection, opened automatically on connect.
- Added: Downloads keep the remote file's last-modified timestamp where possible.
- Changed: Much faster SMB transfers and reworked thumbnail loading.
- Fixed: Duplicate "(1)" folders during sync; files with accented names no longer missed.
-
This version requires Android 9.0 or newer.
It is built and signed by the original developer, and guaranteed to correspond to this source tarball.
Permissions
-
view network connections
Allows the app to view information about network connections such as which networks exist and are connected.
-
view Wi-Fi connections
Allows the app to view information about Wi-Fi networking, such as whether Wi-Fi is enabled and name of connected Wi-Fi devices.
-
run foreground service
Allows the app to make use of foreground services.
-
run foreground service with the type "dataSync"
Allows the app to make use of foreground services with the type "dataSync"
-
have full network access
Allows the app to create network sockets and use custom network protocols. The browser and other applications provide means to send data to the internet, so this permission is not required to send data to the internet.
-
show notifications
Allows the app to show notifications
-
run at startup
Allows the app to have itself started as soon as the system has finished booting. This can make it take longer to start the phone and allow the app to slow down the overall phone by always running.
-
ask to ignore battery optimizations
Allows an app to ask for permission to ignore battery optimizations for that app.
-
use biometric hardware
Allows the app to use biometric hardware for authentication
-
use fingerprint hardware
Allows the app to use fingerprint hardware for authentication
-
prevent phone from sleeping
Allows the app to prevent the phone from going to sleep.
-
de.schliweb.sambalite.DYNAMIC_RECEIVER_NOT_EXPORTED_PERMISSION
Download APK
15 MiB
PGP Signature
|
Build Log
New in version 2.5.2
- Changed: Much faster folder sync on slow or high-latency connections (Issue #21). Remote file metadata for a directory is now fetched in a single listing instead of opening every file multiple times, drastically reducing SMB round-trips.
- Changed: Idle syncs (many files, few or no changes) that previously took minutes now complete in seconds.
- Changed: Reduced per-file overhead during uploads by avoiding redundant post-upload metadata reads.
-
This version requires Android 9.0 or newer.
It is built and signed by the original developer, and guaranteed to correspond to this source tarball.
Permissions
-
view network connections
Allows the app to view information about network connections such as which networks exist and are connected.
-
view Wi-Fi connections
Allows the app to view information about Wi-Fi networking, such as whether Wi-Fi is enabled and name of connected Wi-Fi devices.
-
run foreground service
Allows the app to make use of foreground services.
-
run foreground service with the type "dataSync"
Allows the app to make use of foreground services with the type "dataSync"
-
have full network access
Allows the app to create network sockets and use custom network protocols. The browser and other applications provide means to send data to the internet, so this permission is not required to send data to the internet.
-
show notifications
Allows the app to show notifications
-
run at startup
Allows the app to have itself started as soon as the system has finished booting. This can make it take longer to start the phone and allow the app to slow down the overall phone by always running.
-
ask to ignore battery optimizations
Allows an app to ask for permission to ignore battery optimizations for that app.
-
use biometric hardware
Allows the app to use biometric hardware for authentication
-
use fingerprint hardware
Allows the app to use fingerprint hardware for authentication
-
prevent phone from sleeping
Allows the app to prevent the phone from going to sleep.
-
de.schliweb.sambalite.DYNAMIC_RECEIVER_NOT_EXPORTED_PERMISSION
Download APK
15 MiB
PGP Signature
|
Build Log
