Nextcloud Setup

Nextcloud is a popular self-hosted cloud platform with built-in WebDAV support. ZestSSH connects to Nextcloud as a WebDAV backup destination.

Prerequisites

A Nextcloud instance (self-hosted or hosted provider) with HTTPS enabled.
A Nextcloud user account.
An app password (recommended over your main password).

Creating an App Password

App passwords provide limited access and can be revoked independently of your main account:

Log in to your Nextcloud web interface.
Go to Settings > Security (or Settings > Personal > Security).
Under Devices & sessions, enter a name (e.g., “ZestSSH Backups”).
Click Create new app password.
Copy the generated password — it will only be shown once.

WebDAV URL Format

Nextcloud’s WebDAV endpoint follows this pattern:

https://your-nextcloud.example.com/remote.php/dav/files/USERNAME

Replace:

your-nextcloud.example.com with your Nextcloud domain.
USERNAME with your Nextcloud username.

Common URL Variations

Provider	URL Pattern
Self-hosted	`https://cloud.example.com/remote.php/dav/files/john`
Hetzner Storage Share	`https://uNNNNN.your-storageshare.de/remote.php/dav/files/uNNNNN`
Other hosted providers	Check your provider’s WebDAV documentation

ZestSSH Configuration

Open Settings > Backup & Restore > Backup Destinations.
Tap Add Destination > WebDAV.
Enter the following:

Field	Value
Server URL	`https://your-nextcloud.example.com/remote.php/dav/files/USERNAME`
Username	Your Nextcloud username
Password	The app password you created
Remote Path	`/ZestSSH/backups/` (default, or customize)
Label	`Nextcloud` (or any name you prefer)

Tap Test Connection. ZestSSH will send a PROPFIND request to verify credentials and server access.
Save the destination.

Folder Structure

After the first backup, your Nextcloud file tree will look like:

/
 ZestSSH/
   backups/
     zestssh_backup_2026-04-18T10-30-00.zest
     zestssh_auto_2026-04-17T08-00-00.zest

The ZestSSH/backups/ directory is created automatically via MKCOL if it does not exist. Parent directories are created recursively.

You can browse these files in the Nextcloud web interface or mobile app, but they are encrypted .zest files — opening them requires ZestSSH and the backup password.

Nextcloud-Specific Notes

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

If you have 2FA enabled on your Nextcloud account, you must use an app password. Regular passwords will fail with WebDAV when 2FA is active.

Server-Side Encryption

Nextcloud’s optional server-side encryption is independent of ZestSSH’s backup encryption. Your .zest files are already encrypted with AES-256-GCM before upload, so server-side encryption provides a redundant layer but is not required.

Quota

Each .zest backup file is typically small (a few hundred KB to a few MB depending on your number of connections and identities). Auto-backups retain a maximum of 3 files, so storage usage stays minimal.

Nextcloud Desktop/Mobile Sync

If you have Nextcloud desktop or mobile sync enabled, the ZestSSH/backups/ folder will sync to your other devices automatically. This provides an additional local copy of your backups.

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
”WebDAV PROPFIND failed: 401”	Wrong username or password. Regenerate the app password.
”WebDAV PROPFIND failed: 404”	Incorrect URL. Verify your Nextcloud domain and username in the path.
”WebDAV PUT failed: 507”	Insufficient storage quota on Nextcloud.
Connection timeout	Check that HTTPS is properly configured and the server is accessible from your device’s network.
SSL certificate errors	If using a self-signed certificate, you may need to install the CA certificate on your device.

Using Nextcloud as Sole Backup

Nextcloud WebDAV backups survive app uninstall since files are stored on your server. This makes it suitable as a primary backup destination. For maximum safety, consider enabling auto-backup to Nextcloud alongside periodic manual backups.