Cloud Storage Connections

Connect to Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, and other cloud storage providers directly in Captain's Deck.

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Supported Cloud Providers

Captain's Deck supports native connections to popular cloud storage services:

  • Google Drive - Personal and Workspace accounts
  • Microsoft OneDrive - Personal and Business accounts
  • Dropbox - Basic, Plus, and Business accounts
  • Rackspace Cloud Files - Object storage

For S3-compatible storage (Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, DigitalOcean Spaces), see the S3 Guide.

Connecting to Google Drive

  1. Go to File > Connect to Server (or press Cmd+K)
  2. Select Google Drive from the provider list
  3. Click Connect
  4. A browser window opens for Google authentication
  5. Sign in to your Google account and grant permissions
  6. Return to Captain's Deck - your Drive is now connected

Tip: Your credentials are stored securely in the macOS Keychain. You won't need to re-authenticate unless you revoke access.

Google Workspace

If you use Google Workspace (formerly G Suite), the connection process is the same. You can access Shared Drives by navigating to the "Shared drives" folder after connecting.

Connecting to OneDrive

  1. Go to File > Connect to Server (or press Cmd+K)
  2. Select OneDrive from the provider list
  3. Click Connect
  4. Sign in with your Microsoft account
  5. Grant the requested permissions
  6. Your OneDrive is now mounted in Captain's Deck

OneDrive for Business

For OneDrive for Business or SharePoint, select OneDrive for Business instead. You may need to sign in with your organization credentials.

Connecting to Dropbox

  1. Go to File > Connect to Server (or press Cmd+K)
  2. Select Dropbox from the provider list
  3. Click Connect
  4. Authorize Captain's Deck in the browser
  5. Your Dropbox is now accessible

Browsing Cloud Storage

Once connected, cloud storage works just like local folders:

  • Navigate with arrow keys or hjkl
  • Copy files between cloud and local with F5
  • Move files with F6
  • Delete files with F8
  • Create folders with F7
  • Search with Cmd+Shift+F

Cloud connections also appear in the sidebar under "Cloud Storage" for quick access.

Creating Shareable Links

Create public shareable links for files stored in Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox:

  1. Right-click any file in your cloud storage
  2. Select Create Share Link
  3. The public link is copied to your clipboard
  4. Share the link with anyone

This creates a publicly accessible link - anyone with the link can view or download the file.

Disconnecting

To disconnect a cloud storage account:

  1. Go to File > Manage Connections
  2. Find the cloud account you want to remove
  3. Click the X button to disconnect

This removes the connection from Captain's Deck and deletes the stored credentials from your Keychain.

Performance Tips

  • Large files - Uploads and downloads run in the background with progress tracking
  • Caching - Directory listings are cached for faster navigation
  • Thumbnails - Image thumbnails are loaded on demand to save bandwidth
  • Batch operations - Select multiple files to copy/move them together

Next Steps