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TutorialApril 6, 2026

S3 Browser Tutorial: Browse, Upload & Manage S3 Objects from Your Browser

Everything you need to know to get started with the DevToolSets S3 Browser β€” from connecting your first bucket to uploading, downloading, and organizing your files.

What You'll Learn

  • How to connect to AWS S3 or any S3-compatible service
  • Browsing buckets and navigating folder hierarchies
  • Uploading files to a bucket
  • Downloading objects to your computer
  • Creating folders and organizing objects
  • Deleting files and folders
  • Saving credentials securely for quick reconnection
  • Connecting to S3-compatible services like MinIO and DigitalOcean Spaces

Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure you have:

  • An AWS account (or access to an S3-compatible service like MinIO or DigitalOcean Spaces)
  • An IAM Access Key ID and Secret Access Key with S3 permissions β€” at minimum s3:ListBucket, s3:GetObject, and s3:PutObject
  • The region your bucket is in (e.g. us-east-1)

Tip: For read-only browsing, s3:ListBucket and s3:GetObject are enough.

Step 1: Connecting to S3

1

Open the S3 Browser

Navigate to the S3 Browser tool. You'll see a connection card asking for your credentials.

2

Enter your credentials

Fill in the following fields:

  • Access Key ID β€” your IAM access key (starts with AKIA)
  • Secret Access Key β€” the corresponding secret
  • Region β€” the AWS region (defaults to us-east-1)
  • Endpoint β€” leave blank for AWS, or enter a custom URL for S3-compatible services
3

Click Connect

The tool will test your connection by listing your buckets. If successful, you'll see the browser interface with your buckets in the left sidebar.

If you get an error, double-check your credentials and make sure your IAM user has the s3:ListAllMyBuckets permission.

Step 2: Browsing Buckets and Objects

1

Select a bucket

Your buckets are listed in the sidebar on the left. Click any bucket name to open it. The main panel will show the top-level contents of that bucket.

2

Navigate folders

Click any folder (πŸ“) to drill into it. The breadcrumb trail at the top updates as you navigate β€” click any segment to jump back to a parent directory.

3

Understand the file list

Each object in the list shows:

  • An icon based on file type (images, documents, archives, code, etc.)
  • The file name
  • File size (formatted as B, KB, MB, GB, TB)
  • Last modified timestamp

Step 3: Uploading Files

1

Navigate to the target folder

Browse to the folder where you want to upload files. The current path is shown in the toolbar on the right side.

2

Click "⬆ Upload"

Click the Upload button in the toolbar. A file picker will open β€” select one or more files from your computer.

3

Wait for the upload to complete

The button will show "Uploading…" while files are being transferred. Once done, the file list refreshes automatically and your new files appear.

Files are uploaded with their original name to the current prefix (folder path). The content type is detected automatically.

Step 4: Downloading Files

To download a file, find it in the file list and click the ⬇ button in the Actions column on the right. The file will be downloaded to your browser's default download location with its original filename.

Note: Downloads work for individual files only. Folders cannot be downloaded directly β€” you'd need to download each file inside the folder separately.

Step 5: Creating Folders

1

Click "πŸ“ New Folder"

In the toolbar, click the New Folder button. A prompt will ask you for the folder name.

2

Enter a name and confirm

Type the folder name and click OK. The folder is created as a zero-byte object with a trailing slash in S3 (this is the standard S3 convention for folder markers). It will appear immediately in the file list.

Step 6: Deleting Files and Folders

There are two ways to delete objects:

Individual delete

Click the πŸ—‘ button next to any file or folder. You'll be asked to confirm before the deletion proceeds. Deleting a folder removes all objects under that prefix.

Bulk delete

Use the checkboxes to select multiple items, then click the πŸ—‘ Delete (n) button in the toolbar. A confirmation dialog shows the count of items to be deleted.

You can also use the "Select all" checkbox in the table header to select everything in the current view.

Step 7: Saving Credentials for Quick Access

If you connect to the same account frequently, you can save your credentials locally in your browser β€” encrypted with a PIN you choose.

1

Check "Save credentials in browser"

On the connection form, tick the checkbox. Two new fields appear: a label and a master PIN.

2

Set a label and PIN

Give the connection a recognizable name (e.g. "Production AWS" or "MinIO Local"). Then choose a 4-6 digit numeric PIN. This PIN is used to derive an encryption key via PBKDF2, and your credentials are encrypted with AES-256-GCM before being stored in IndexedDB.

3

Reconnect later

Next time you visit the S3 Browser, your saved connections appear at the top of the connection panel. Click one, enter your PIN, and click Unlock β€” your credentials are decrypted and filled in automatically.

You can delete a saved connection at any time by clicking the βœ• button next to it. Credentials are never sent to any server β€” everything stays in your browser's local storage.

Bonus: Connecting to S3-Compatible Services

The S3 Browser works with any service that implements the S3 API. Here are some common ones:

MinIO

Set the Endpoint field to your MinIO server URL (e.g. http://localhost:9000). Use your MinIO access key and secret key. The region can be anything (e.g. us-east-1).

DigitalOcean Spaces

Set the Endpoint to https://<region>.digitaloceanspaces.com (e.g. https://nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com). Use your Spaces access key and secret.

Cloudflare R2

Set the Endpoint to https://<account-id>.r2.cloudflarestorage.com. Use your R2 API token credentials. Set region to auto.

Backblaze B2

Set the Endpoint to https://s3.<region>.backblazeb2.com. Use your B2 application key ID and application key.

Tips & Best Practices

  • Use IAM credentials with the least privilege needed β€” read-only credentials are safest for browsing
  • Hit the πŸ”„ Refresh button in the toolbar if you've made changes outside the browser and need to see the latest state
  • The breadcrumb navigation is the fastest way to jump between nested folders
  • When deleting a folder, all objects under that prefix are removed β€” this cannot be undone
  • Saved credentials are encrypted client-side and never leave your browser

Ready to try it out?

Open S3 Browser β†’