Rclone mount command via http using on-the-fly :mount: syntax

Help and Support
1

What is the problem you are having with rclone?

Hi there,

I’m struggling with the syntax to mount an s3 bucket via http a JSON request using the :backend: syntax to do it on the fly without an rclone config file.

Run the command 'rclone version' and share the full output of the command.

rclone v1.68.2

  • os/version: darwin 15.3.1 (64 bit)
  • os/kernel: 24.3.0 (arm64)
  • os/type: darwin
  • os/arch: arm64 (ARMv8 compatible)
  • go/version: go1.23.3
  • go/linking: dynamic
  • go/tags: cmount

Which cloud storage system are you using? (eg Google Drive)

AWS S3

The command you were trying to run (eg rclone copy /tmp remote:tmp)

POST http://127.0.0.1:5572/mount/mount
{
	"fs": ":s3:my_bucket",
	"provider": "AWS",
	"access_key_id": "mykey",
	"secret_access_key": "mysecretkey",
	"region": "eu-west-2",
	"mountPoint": "/tmp/mountpoint"
}

Logs

I get AccessDenied and errors as well as:

2025/03/21 13:17:00 NOTICE: Serving remote control on http://127.0.0.1:5572/
2025/03/21 13:17:03 NOTICE: s3: s3 provider "" not known - please set correctly

This suggests I'm not correctly passing the credentials and provider. I have tried different versions of the parameter names but none have worked, such as:

provider
s3-Provider
S3Provider

I guess there's a certain syntax I am getting wrong?

2

After much trial and error, I worked it out:

{
	"fs": ":s3,provider=AWS,access_key_id=KEY_HERE,secret_access_key=SECRET_KEY_HERE,region=REGION_HERE:BUCKET_NAME_HERE/subdirectory-here",
	"mountPoint": "/wherever/you/want/to/mount"
}

Documentation around this could definitely do with a bit more fleshing out.

3

everybody is welcome to edit the docs.
goto rclone page at github, from the doc you want to edit and click the pencil icon.
make your suggested changes and post the link here in the forum.

1 Like
4

You are 100% right. Would you mind submitting PR with required clarification and maybe example? It is actually very easy - go to rclone/docs/content/docs.md at master · rclone/rclone · GitHub and hit edit at the top right corner

Only way to make documentation better is when people participate and share their findings and experience.

5

Sure thing, I'll make some updates in next day or two :slight_smile:

6

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