Samba SMB shares are read only now in Files on iOS 14.5

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24 points

Samba SMB shares are read only now in Files on iOS 14.5

Before upgrading to iOS 14.5 (and 14.5.1), I had shares from my home Samba server attached to my Files app. This was wonderful because I could now copy photos, PDFs, etc. to my home storage without having to resort to cables or email.

This morning, I realized when trying to copy a photo over via the "Save to Files" option on the share sheet in the Photos app that I'm now getting a entirely unhelpful error message:

The operation couldn't be completed. Operation canceled

Operation canceled.

After about an hour of searching for an answer online and combing through my Samba logs (all of which showed no errors), I noticed that the bottom of the Files app shows "Read-Only" when I look at my mounted share.

Storing files to this share has worked consistently for months. I have

made no changes to my Samba 4.13.3 configuration,
removed and reattached the shares to my Files app,
confirmed that I am able to open any file on the share, and
confirmed I cannot save any file (photos, PDFs, sound files, ZIP files) to my share.

I've also noticed that my OneDrive mount in the Files app also shows

"Read-Only". I can also not store files there using the "Save to Files"

option in the share sheet, which I could do and have done before upgrading to iOS 14.5. That means this isn't specific to Samba.

So it seems since upgrading to iOS 14.5 I cannot use any storage options in the Files app except for iCloud or "On My iPhone". Why was this changed? Can I restore the write access capability of the Files app? Or is this gone forever?

iPhone 11 Pro

Posted on May 16, 2021 9:35 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Seven531

Level 1

19 points

Jun 15, 2021 3:04 AM in response to jerem65

Hello jerem65,

My workaround might work for you in case Apple does not fix the bug in the foreseeable future.

Install samba-vfs-modules

( sudo apt install samba-vfs-modules )

2 I have added the following 3 options into the [global] section into /etc/samba/smb.conf :

fruit:nfs_aces = no

fruit:aapl = yes

vfs objects = catia fruit streams_xattr

3 sudo service smbd restart

(load the new config)

Please read the relevant documentation before using this in a production environment.

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Answer 2

dirk_niblick Author

Level 1

24 points

May 20, 2021 9:25 AM in response to aside515

aside515, thank you for confirming I'm not crazy! 😁 I followed your example and mounted the same SMB share on my daughter's iPhone 8, which is at iOS 14.4.2. I was able to save files anywhere I wanted to. I copied a photo from the Photos app to one directory and saved a ZIP file from Safari to another one. I tried to do the same thing with my OneDrive account and it worked over there too!

A couple things I noticed with this testing:

I believe the "Read-Only" at the bottom of the list of initial mounts only pertains to that level of the storage hierarchy, which makes sense because you can't create folders or files there (see image). The subdirectories don't show "Read-Only".

I was able to create folders using the Files app anywhere, either storage and both phones. So, that works?!
Again, I was able to copy, save, etc. anything anywhere on the iOS 14.4.2 phone. On the 14.5.1 phone:
- I was able to copy a ZIP file from the Downloads section of the Files app and paste it into a folder on the SMB share. But when I tried to save a photo from the Photos app, it still said "The operation couldn't be completed."
- I tried to save a screenshot to the SMB share, it worked!? I tried to save a photo embed in a Note to the SMB share and that failed. I scanned a document, tried to save the PDF and that worked!?
- I tried to store a PDF directly from Safari to the SMB and it failed - the SMB server didn't even show up in the list of choices! I downloaded it and tried to copy it to the SMB share and that worked!?

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Answer 3

Jun 5, 2021 8:38 PM in response to dirk_niblick

I've got the same, or a similar, problem.

Prior to iOS 14.5 I accessed my Samba server (embodied using DD-WRT firmware, build 44772 11.11.2020, on a Linksys EA6700 platform) routinely using the Files app.

Since upgrading, access has been unsuccessful with the Files app. At present, with iOS 14.6, I can see the files in their directories but am unable to read or write. Meanwhile, the same Samba server continues to function with my Win7 and Win10 machines, unimpeded.

I don't have any more information to share, other than I'm frustrated with iOS and Apple.

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Answer 4

Seven531

Level 1

19 points

Jun 12, 2021 6:30 AM in response to Seven531

Last comment for today:

It looks like extended attributes checks might fail this one:

testfile:com.apple.lastuseddate#PS

SMBD returns:

NT_STATUS_OBJECT_NAME_NOT_FOUND

If I read the logs correctly Files app then deletes the file off the server.

But tests using the Mail app showed that the same failed, but the Mail app does not delete the file.

So from my limited research it seems that the Files app deletes the file because it cannot read extended attributes.

Mail app also checks, but doesn't delete the file?

Hope someone figures this out. I don't want to use a 3rd party app.

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Answer 5

Jun 12, 2021 10:04 AM in response to Seven531

Appreciate the detailed info and effort you put into it - Thank you. Clearly this is an iOS issue specific to "Save to Files" selection/function from only some apps that started since iOS 14.5 where it worked fine prior. To that point, if you "Copy & Paste" a file into the Files app in iOS, it works fine. Also it works fine in some iOS apps (Mail) but not others (Photos).

The suggestion you listed is a [complex] workaround to a bug which most users will not be able to perform - myself included where I have an external USB drive connected to my basic home router that uses Samba to share, and I don't even know where to begin to find/edit the config file.

As users, we prefer a fix to core of the problem which should be addressed by Apple. And I agree with you that I too do not wish to use a 3rd party app in place of the Files app (tried few and didn't like them at all).

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Answer 6

i_rina

Community Specialist

May 17, 2021 8:59 AM in response to dirk_niblick

Hello dirk_niblick,

It would appear that you are no longer able to write files to your external server. Take a look at the following information.

It is possible that the permissions have somehow been changed on the server. You do mention that they are showing "Read-Only". Before changing the permissions, just as a precaution, be sure that all the data contained on the drive is backed up somewhere else.

Here is how to change permissions: Change permissions for files, folders, or disks on Mac - Apple Support

Have a good day.

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Answer 7

dirk_niblick Author

Level 1

24 points

May 17, 2021 12:46 PM in response to i_rina

i_rina-

Here's an excerpt from my original post:

Storing files to this share has worked consistently for months. I have

- made no changes to my Samba 4.13.3 configuration,
- removed and reattached the shares to my Files app,
- confirmed that I am able to open any file on the share, and
- confirmed I cannot save any file (photos, PDFs, sound files, ZIP files) to my share.

The Samba server is running on a CentOS 8 system and these same mounts work fine on multiple Windows 10 PCs in my home. It's the iOS Files app which can't or won't mount Samba shares as read-write.

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Answer 8

dirk_niblick Author

Level 1

24 points

May 19, 2021 9:42 AM in response to dirk_niblick

I spent an hour and a half with Apple chat support. While they were on with me I was able to:

mount the SMB share using another iOS app, FE File Explorer, and create and delete files,
provide them Samba logs ("Honestly we dont have any knowledge about Samba log") showing the two apps connected in exactly the same way, and
describe that these same issues were affecting OneDrive.

The chat agent asked me to contact the developers of the other storage providers and see if they could help. 😒 Maybe I can get Microsoft to fix this for them?

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Answer 9

Jun 4, 2021 3:52 PM in response to dirk_niblick

I have the same problem when I try to save photos. Popup error is "The operation couldn't be completed. Operation canceled". And about a month ago, everything worked flawlessly. So this is a bummer.

And it gets more interesting:

I cannot save any photos from the iPhone Photos App to the SMB shared folder within the Files App,
BUT I can save photos and text from my Notes App to the SMB shared folder within the Files App,
And I can also read and delete files in the SMB shared folder using the Files App.

And vice versa:

I cannot save any photos from the Files App's SMB shared folder to my iPhone Photos App. That save option is not there anymore!

This is not a simple all or none access rights issue. Seems to be somehow various Apps have been given/revoked different access privileges since one of the recent iOS updates.

This happens on iPhone 12, iPad 6 and iPhone 8 on iOS 14.6 - where all of them were working fine on one of the prior iOS's.

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Answer 10

aside515

Level 1

9 points

May 19, 2021 5:50 PM in response to dirk_niblick

I started having this problem since upgrading to iOS14.5 as well

I have 3 more iPhones that are still on iOS 14.4 and they all continue to work as usual.

As a workaround, I have switched to using a third party app Documents by Readdle. I will go back to using Files when Apple fixes the problem.

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Answer 11

dirk_niblick Author

Level 1

24 points

May 26, 2021 6:33 AM in response to dirk_niblick

I upgrade my phone to iOS 14.6 and I still can’t save photos to SMB shares using Save to Files from the Photos app; still getting the The operation couldn't be completed. Operation canceled error. The silly thing is I can *copy* the photo in the Photos app, go to the directory in the Files app and paste it in there just fine.

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Answer 12

Seven531

Level 1

19 points

Jun 12, 2021 3:52 AM in response to BrianKohen

Hello,

The only thing I can add from looking at my SMB logs is that it seems that the Files app is adding trailing forward slash "/" to the file name.

It seems the files app is then checking if the file was successfully written and cannot find the file, deleting the file straight after.

Other Apple apps are working.

I haven't quite dived into this, though.

A Windows 10 share works just fine with the Files app, so maybe a config change for SMB might allow a workaround?!

Fingers crossed - I am really reliant on that feature.

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Answer 13

Seven531

Level 1

19 points

Jun 12, 2021 4:53 AM in response to Seven531

Can't edit my reply.

Hello,

I have the same issue with Files app and the error The operation couldn't be completed. Operation canceled.

Saving files from the Mail app works just fine.

The only thing I can add from looking at my SMB logs is that it seems that the Files app is adding trailing forward slash "/" to the file name.

Transfer of the file seems to be successful and a delete request is then transmitted.

My guess:

It seems the files app is then checking if the file was successfully written and cannot find the file, deleting the file straight after.

I haven't quite dived into this, though.Just looked at it for 30 minutes.

A Windows 10 share works just fine with the Files app, so maybe it's the combination of Files app and smbd? So if we are lucky a config change for SMB might allow a workaround?!

Fingers crossed - I am really reliant on that feature.

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