Introduction
People who work regularly with files stored in Amazon S3 on a Mac often have difficulty managing them. Whenever you want to upload, download, or edit a file, you have to open the AWS console or use terminal commands.
Because the S3 bucket does not appear in Finder as a USB drive. Mac does not support this feature because S3 uses cloud object storage with its own API instead of a traditional file system.
While Finder supports local disks and network file systems.That’s why they need additional software to connect them. Moreover, Amazon S3 also does not have an option to edit files within it. You have to upload it every time after making changes.
In this guide, we will explore how to mount an S3 bucket as a drive on macOS on a personal Mac or EC2 Mac instance.
Why doesn't S3 behave like a normal disk?
In a normal disk, you can open a file, change a few bytes, and save it easily. However, S3 does not store files in a usual way; it stores them as objects. Objects can’t be edited or changed within. So, if you want to change a file, you have to upload the complete file again. However, this process is not complex for saving small files like documents, images, or media.
But editing and uploading large files requires more time and data. Moreover, folders also behave in different ways. Renaming a big folder means you have to copy and paste objects inside it under a new name. After that, you have to delete the old folder.
That’s why a mounted bucket is a suitable option for browsing, copying, editing documents, and working with other media. But it may not be suitable for databases and apps that write thousands of tiny files. You can keep them on a local disk.
What you Need First?
You need four things before you mount anything. These are:
- An S3 bucket you want to mount
- A Mac, or an EC2 Mac instance
- Admin rights on that Mac, so you can install apps
- Screen Sharing access, if the Mac is remote
You should also keep the bucket and the instance in the same AWS region, like us-east-1. This is because it's faster. Moreover, the data transfer between S3 and EC2 will also be free in the same region. But requests to access S3 are billed.
Besides that, you should not plug your main AWS credentials into the mounting app. Instead, you must create a separate IAM user that can reach only the bucket you plan to mount. After that, generate an access key and a secret key for it. Attach this policy and change the bucket name only.
{
"Version": "2012-10-17",
"Statement": [
{ "Effect": "Allow",
"Action": ["s3:ListBucket", "s3:GetBucketLocation"],
"Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::your-bucket-name" },
{ "Effect": "Allow",
"Action": ["s3:GetObject", "s3:PutObject", "s3:DeleteObject"],
"Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::your-bucket-name/*" }
]
}
With the first state, the app can list the bucket and find its Region. With the second, it can read, write, and delete files inside the bucket. If the keys ever leak, the damage stays limited to that one bucket.
Different Ways to Mount S3 on MacOS
The mounting tools of Amazon are built for Linux. Therefore, Mac users have to use third-party apps. Here are different and suitable options for Mac users to mount S3 on macOS.
CloudMounter
CloudMounter is the easiest option to start. By using it, you can easily mount S3 bucket as a drive in Finder without using any command line. To use CloudMounter, you have to install it first. Next, choose Amazon S3 from the list of services and enter the access key and secret key from your IAM user.
From the settings, you can connect it to a single bucket, which pairs well with the restricted policy. After setting up the settings, click Mount so the bucket will appear in Finder like an external drive.
The setup takes only a few minutes, and the guide on how to mount S3 to EC2 Mac and Windows instances will tell you a complete step-by-step process. It also includes a guide on what IAM permissions you need.
Besides S3, CloudMounter can also connect to Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and other services. This feature gives you an option to manage several cloud accounts in one place. It also stores your credentials in the macOS Keychain instead of a plain text file. It also provides optional client-side encryption of files before uploads.
CloudMounter also works perfectly on Mac and Windows, so large teams using both systems can use it for work management. Despite many benefits, it also has one downside, which is that after a free trial, it offers a paid plan.
Mountain Duck
Mountain Duck is another Finder-based app which is made by people behind Cyberduck. It also mounts S3 and other storage as a drive in Finder.
However, it works similarly to CloudMounter. However, it is not free; you have to get a paid plan to use it. If you already use Cyberduck, then it is the best option for you to use.
ExpanDrive
ExpanDrive is a GUI app that lets you mount S3 and other cloud services as a drive on your Mac. After you set up a connection, the storage will appear in Finder without using Terminal. It is suitable for people who want to use a visual tool and work with more than one cloud server.
Rclone
Rclone is a free and open-source tool to mount S3. But it runs from the command line and needs macFUSE installed before it can mount anything. If you are comfortable using a terminal and also like scripting, then you can use it easily.
AWS’s own tools
Mountpoint for Amazon S3 is Amazon’s own mounting tool. But it is only designed to be used on Linux, so it does not work on Mac. Amazon S3 files, which were launched in April 2026, are also built for Linux systems. If you only want to copy files now and then, you don't have to mount anything. By using the AWS CLI command line, you can copy a folder to or from a bucket with one command.
aws s3 sync ./local-folder s3://your-bucket-name/folder
Notes for EC2 Mac Instances
An EC2 Mac instance is a physical Mac mini or Mac Studio in an Amazon Data center that is rented as a dedicated host. The process to mount S3 is the same as it is on the local Mac. You connect to it via screen sharing or SSH and then install a mounting app on it.
The only difference is in billing; the host is billed for at least 24 hours at a time. This is because of Apple licensing tools. Even if you want to test anything, you have to pay for a full day. That’s why you should line up everything before you allocate the host.
It also does not occupy more disk space. Mounting does not download the whole bucket. Only the files you want to use and open will load. Moreover, only cache will use local disk space. These features make mounted buckets a practical option on a Mac with a small drive.
aws s3 sync ./local-folder s3://your-bucket-name/folder
Quick comparison of Different Mounting Tool Options-H2
Here is a detailed and quick comparison table between different mounting
tools for Amazon S3.
Tool
How you use it
Setup effort
Best for
CloudMounter
Finder app
Low
Finder users who want minimal setup
Mountain Duck
Finder app
Low
People who already use Cyberduck
ExpanDrive
Graphical app
Low
People who use several cloud services
rclone
Command line
Higher
People who want a free tool and use Terminal
AWS CLI sync
Command line, no mount
Low
Copying files now and then without mounting
Conclusion
There is no single right tool to mount S3 as a drive on Mac. However, the right tool depends on how you work. If you live in Finder and want the shortest path from bucket to drive, CloudMounter is the best option.
In case you are already using Cyberduck, then using Mountain Duck will be beneficial. However, rclone is for people who want a free tool and are comfortable using the terminal. And if you only copy files sometimes, then aws s3 sync will be enough for you.
No matter what route you choose, you should start with a limited IAM user and a single bucket. How do you handle S3 on your Macs?
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