How to Self-Host FileRun with Docker Compose

What Is FileRun?

FileRun is a self-hosted file management and sharing platform designed as a direct alternative to Dropbox and Google Drive. It provides desktop sync clients for Mac, Windows, and Linux, mobile apps for iOS and Android, and WebDAV access for third-party client compatibility. FileRun stands out for its polished UI, online document editing via ONLYOFFICE/Collabora/LibreOffice, and enterprise features like LDAP integration and audit logging.

Note: FileRun is commercial software with a free license option. The free license covers personal use with limited user accounts. A paid license is required for business use or additional users.

Official site: filerun.com

Prerequisites

A Linux server (Ubuntu 22.04+ recommended)
Docker and Docker Compose installed (guide)
2 GB of free disk space (application) + storage for user files
1 GB of RAM (minimum)
A domain name (recommended for remote access and SSL)

Docker Compose Configuration

Create a docker-compose.yml file:

services:
  db:
    image: mariadb:11.6
    container_name: filerun-db
    environment:
      - MARIADB_ROOT_PASSWORD=change_this_root_password     # Change this
      - MYSQL_USER=filerun
      - MYSQL_PASSWORD=change_this_filerun_password          # Change this
      - MYSQL_DATABASE=filerun
      - MARIADB_AUTO_UPGRADE=1
    volumes:
      - filerun_db:/var/lib/mysql
    restart: unless-stopped

  web:
    image: filerun/filerun:8.4
    container_name: filerun
    environment:
      - FR_DB_HOST=db
      - FR_DB_PORT=3306
      - FR_DB_NAME=filerun
      - FR_DB_USER=filerun
      - FR_DB_PASS=change_this_filerun_password              # Match MYSQL_PASSWORD above
      - APACHE_RUN_USER=www-data
      - APACHE_RUN_USER_ID=33
      - APACHE_RUN_GROUP=www-data
      - APACHE_RUN_GROUP_ID=33
    depends_on:
      - db
    ports:
      - "8080:80"
    volumes:
      - filerun_html:/var/www/html
      - filerun_userfiles:/user-files
    restart: unless-stopped

volumes:
  filerun_db:
  filerun_html:
  filerun_userfiles:

Version note: The Docker image tag 8.4 refers to the PHP version, not the FileRun application version. The image ships with the latest FileRun release (currently v2026.1.0).

Start the stack:

docker compose up -d

Initial Setup

Open http://your-server-ip:8080 in your browser
The web installer appears automatically on first run
FileRun verifies database connectivity and PHP extensions
Create your superuser account with a strong password
Important: After setup, go to the superuser’s account settings and set the home folder path to /user-files

Default Credentials

If the web installer doesn’t appear, the default superuser credentials are:

Username: superuser
Password: superuser

Change these immediately after first login.

Configuration

Desktop Sync Clients

FileRun supports sync via any WebDAV client or the official FileRun desktop client:

Download from the FileRun control panel (Admin area)
Enter your FileRun server URL
Log in with your credentials
Select folders to sync

Alternative: Use any WebDAV-compatible sync client (e.g., Syncthing or the built-in OS file manager).

WebDAV Access

WebDAV endpoint: https://your-domain.com/remote.php/webdav/

Works with:

macOS Finder (Connect to Server)
Windows Explorer (Map Network Drive)
Linux file managers (Nautilus, Dolphin)
Mobile apps (FE File Explorer, Solid Explorer)

Online Document Editing

FileRun integrates with several document editors:

Editor	Setup Required	Features
ONLYOFFICE	Separate Docker container	Full office suite (docs, sheets, slides)
Collabora Online	Separate Docker container	LibreOffice-based editing
Google Docs	Google Cloud account	Edit via Google Docs integration

For ONLYOFFICE integration, add to your Docker Compose:

  onlyoffice:
    image: onlyoffice/documentserver:9.3.1.2
    container_name: filerun-onlyoffice
    environment:
      - JWT_SECRET=your_jwt_secret     # Change this
    ports:
      - "8443:443"
    restart: unless-stopped

Then configure the ONLYOFFICE URL in FileRun’s admin panel under Control Panel > File Handlers.

User Management

LDAP/Active Directory: Configure in Control Panel > Authentication
OAuth2: Connect external identity providers
Local accounts: Create users directly in the admin panel
Guest access: Share files with external users via public links

Role	Can View	Can Edit	Can Upload	Can Delete
Viewer	Yes	No	No	No
Commenter	Yes	Comments only	No	No
Editor	Yes	Yes	No	No
Contributor	Yes	No	Yes	No
Content Manager	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Uploader	No	No	Yes	No

Reverse Proxy

FileRun requires specific proxy headers for correct operation. See Reverse Proxy Setup.

Nginx example:

location / {
    proxy_pass http://filerun:80;
    proxy_set_header Host $host;
    proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-SSL on;
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Port $server_port;
    client_max_body_size 0;  # No upload size limit
}

Backup

Back up both the database and user files:

# Database backup
docker exec filerun-db mariadb-dump -u root -p filerun > filerun-db-$(date +%Y%m%d).sql

# User files backup
tar czf filerun-files-$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz /path/to/filerun/userfiles

See Backup Strategy for automated approaches.

Troubleshooting

Upload Fails for Large Files

Symptom: Uploads fail silently or time out for files over a few MB. Fix: The issue is usually the reverse proxy or PHP configuration. In your reverse proxy, set client_max_body_size 0; (nginx) or equivalent. FileRun v2026.1.0+ uses streaming resumable uploads that handle large files natively.

File Previews Not Generating

Symptom: Thumbnails show generic file icons instead of previews. Fix: Install ImageMagick or libvips in the container for image previews, and FFmpeg for video thumbnails. For the Docker image, these are often pre-installed — check with docker exec filerun convert --version.

WebDAV Connection Refused

Symptom: Desktop clients can’t connect via WebDAV. Fix: Ensure the WebDAV URL includes the full path: https://your-domain.com/remote.php/webdav/. Some clients need the trailing slash. Check that your reverse proxy passes the required headers (especially X-Forwarded-Proto).

Database Connection Error on Startup

Symptom: FileRun container restarts repeatedly with database errors. Fix: The db container may not be fully ready when FileRun starts. Add a health check to the database service or use docker compose up db -d first, wait 10 seconds, then docker compose up web -d.

Resource Requirements

Metric	Value
RAM	~200 MB idle (FileRun + MariaDB), ~500 MB under load
CPU	Low to moderate — depends on file operations and preview generation
Disk	~500 MB application + user file storage

Verdict

FileRun is the most polished Dropbox alternative if you need a complete file management platform with sync clients, sharing, and document editing. The UI is closer to Google Drive than any other self-hosted option — non-technical family members can use it without training.

The trade-off is the commercial license: free for personal use, but paid for business. For a fully open-source alternative with similar features, Nextcloud is the standard choice (though heavier and less polished for pure file management). For sync-only without a web interface, Syncthing is simpler and peer-to-peer. For a lighter file browser without sync, Filebrowser uses a fraction of the resources.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is FileRun free?

FileRun is commercial software with a free license for personal use. The free license supports a limited number of user accounts (typically 3). Business use or more users requires a paid license. The Docker image and all features are identical between free and paid — the difference is the license key and user count.

How does FileRun compare to Nextcloud?

FileRun is focused on file management with a polished UI and native desktop sync. Nextcloud is a broader platform (files + calendar + contacts + apps ecosystem) but heavier on resources and less polished for pure file management. FileRun’s UI is closer to Google Drive; Nextcloud’s resembles a full productivity suite. Choose FileRun for clean file storage and sharing. Choose Nextcloud if you want an all-in-one platform.

Can FileRun integrate with ONLYOFFICE or Collabora for document editing?

Yes. Add an ONLYOFFICE Document Server or Collabora Online container to your Docker Compose and configure the connection in FileRun’s admin panel under File Handlers. This enables in-browser editing of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files without downloading them.

Does FileRun support WebDAV?

Yes. The WebDAV endpoint is available at https://your-domain.com/remote.php/webdav/. This means you can mount FileRun as a network drive on macOS, Windows, and Linux, or access it from any WebDAV-compatible app.

Can I use FileRun with an existing file structure?

Yes. FileRun maps to real files on disk — it doesn’t reorganize your files into an opaque database. Point the user home folder at an existing directory and FileRun indexes it. This is a significant advantage over tools like Nextcloud that abstract the file system.

How do I migrate from Dropbox to FileRun?

Download your Dropbox files locally (or use the Dropbox desktop client to sync them). Copy the files to FileRun’s user-files volume. FileRun picks them up automatically. Install the FileRun desktop sync client to replace Dropbox’s sync functionality going forward.