Aktar, free and open source
Upload files to S3 and get a link, in one drop
Aktar is a free desktop uploader for Amazon S3 and every S3-compatible service: Cloudflare R2, Backblaze B2, DigitalOcean Spaces, MinIO, Wasabi and more. Drop a file on the menu bar, and the public link is on your clipboard.
Updates arrive the day they're released. Windows may warn you, since the app isn't signed yet. How to install
Uploading to S3 shouldn't need a console or a script
Sharing one file through S3 usually means opening the AWS console, finding the bucket, clicking through the upload form, then building the URL by hand. Or keeping an aws s3 cp command around and pasting the key into a link yourself.
Aktar turns that into one move: drag the file onto the menu bar icon, or press a shortcut. It uploads straight to your bucket with your own keys and copies a link that points at your storage, not at a third-party server.
What you get
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Drag, drop, paste
Drop files on the menu bar panel, paste with ⌘V or pick them in Finder. Several files at once, each with its own progress.
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A shortcut from any app
Press ⌃⇧⌘U on the Mac (Ctrl+Shift+Alt+U on Windows) and whatever is on your clipboard is uploaded without opening the panel.
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The link, your way
A plain URL, Markdown, HTML or your own template lands on the clipboard, using your custom domain if you have one.
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Your folder structure
Object keys are templates such as
{year}/{month}/{uuid}.{ext}. See file names and folders. -
Uploads that expire
Pick Delete after 1, 7, 14 or 30 days and the bucket's lifecycle rules remove the file, even when Aktar isn't running.
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Keys stay on your device
Credentials live in the macOS Keychain or Windows Credential Manager. Files go directly to your endpoint, with no Aktar server in between.
A closer look
Built with SwiftUI, so it feels right at home on macOS.
Pick a destination, drop your files and grab recent links without leaving what you're doing.
Browse every bucket folder by folder, search all of it, preview files and copy public or temporary links.
Record your own global shortcut, or keep the default ⌃⇧⌘U. It works even when the panel is closed.
Decide what lands on your clipboard after each upload, including your own template.
Connect a bucket in under a minute. Presets fill in the right endpoint and region for you.
How it works
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Connect your bucket
Pick a provider preset, paste an access key and the bucket name. Test Connection checks that uploads and public links work.
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Drop a file
Drag it onto the menu bar panel, or copy it and press the shortcut. Any file type, uploaded as is.
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Paste the link
The link is already on your clipboard. Paste it into Slack, a GitHub issue, an email or a doc.
Set up your storage
Step-by-step guides for each provider. Most take about five minutes.
Questions
Which S3-compatible services does it work with?
Amazon S3, Cloudflare R2, Backblaze B2, DigitalOcean Spaces and MinIO have presets. Wasabi, Hetzner, Scaleway, Akamai (Linode) and any other service with an S3 API work through "Other S3-Compatible". See supported providers.
Is it really free?
Yes. Aktar is free and open source under the MIT license. You only pay your storage provider, and many have a free tier that covers everyday sharing.
Can I upload to a private bucket?
Yes. Uploads work either way. For a private bucket, copy a temporary link from the Library: it's signed with your keys and works for 1 hour, 1 day or 7 days. Read more about presigned URLs.
Does it replace the AWS CLI or Cyberduck?
For quick uploads and sharing links, yes. Aktar also has a bucket browser to search, preview, rename, move and delete files. For syncing folders or bulk migrations, a CLI or sync tool is still the better fit.