WebDAV Integration

The WebDAV integration allows you to expose video files hosted on any WebDAV-compatible server (Synology NAS, Nextcloud, Apache/Nginx WebDAV, etc.) as VOD channels and TV series within M3U Editor — without needing a dedicated media server like Emby or Plex.

How It Works

M3U Editor connects to your WebDAV server using the PROPFIND protocol to list available media files, parses metadata from filenames and folder structure, and optionally enriches the results with TMDB metadata. Media files are streamed to clients by proxying the HTTP requests through M3U Editor using basic authentication.

Key Features:

• Works with any WebDAV-compatible server (Synology DSM, Nextcloud, Apache, Nginx, Caddy, etc.)
• Username / password basic authentication
• Automatic title, year, season, and episode parsing from filenames
• TMDB metadata enrichment (posters, overviews, ratings, cast)
• Separate library paths for movies and TV shows
• Recursive directory scanning
• Configurable video file extensions
• SSL/TLS support

Prerequisites

• M3U Editor experimental branch
• A running WebDAV server accessible from the M3U Editor host
• WebDAV credentials (username and password) if the server requires authentication
• (Optional but recommended) A TMDB API key configured in M3U Editor Settings for metadata enrichment

Compatible WebDAV Servers

Server	Default Port	Notes
Synology DSM (WebDAV)	5005 (HTTP) / 5006 (HTTPS)	Enable WebDAV in DSM → File Services
Nextcloud	80 / 443	Use /remote.php/dav/files/<username>/ as path prefix
Apache mod_dav	80 / 443	Standard WebDAV
Nginx WebDAV	80 / 443	Requires nginx-dav-ext-module for full PROPFIND support
Caddy	80 / 443	Use webdav directive

Organize Your Media

The WebDAV integration uses the same filename and folder conventions as the Local Media Integration.

Movies

Supported movie filename formats:

Format	Example
Title (Year).ext	The Dark Knight (2008).mkv
Title.Year.Quality.ext	The.Dark.Knight.2008.1080p.BluRay.mkv
Title Year.ext	The Dark Knight 2008.mkv
Title.ext (no year)	The Dark Knight.mkv

TV Shows

Recommended folder structure on the WebDAV server:

/tvshows/
  Breaking Bad/
    Season 1/
      Breaking Bad S01E01 - Pilot.mkv
      Breaking Bad S01E02 - Cat's in the Bag.mkv
    Season 2/
      Breaking Bad S02E01.mkv
  The Office/
    Season 1/
      S01E01 - Pilot.mkv

Supported episode filename formats:

Format	Example
Show S01E02 - Title.ext	Breaking Bad S01E01 - Pilot.mkv
Show.S01E02.Title.ext	Breaking.Bad.S01E01.Pilot.mkv
Show 1x02 - Title.ext	Breaking Bad 1x02 - Cat's in the Bag.mkv
S01E02 - Title.ext	S01E01 - Pilot.mkv (show name from folder)

Configure the Integration

1. In M3U Editor expand the sidebar, locate the Integrations section and select Media Servers

   

2. Click Add Media Server

3. Set Server Type to WebDAV

4. Fill in the connection details:

   • Display Name: A friendly name (e.g., My NAS Media)
   • Host / IP Address: Your WebDAV server address (e.g., 192.168.1.100 or nas.example.com)
   • Port: The port your WebDAV server listens on (e.g., 5005 for Synology, 80 or 443 for standard servers)
   • Use HTTPS: Enable if your server uses SSL/TLS
   • WebDAV Username: Your WebDAV username (leave blank for anonymous access)
   • WebDAV Password: Your WebDAV password

5. Under WebDAV Media Libraries, click Add Library Path and configure each library:

   • Library Name: A descriptive name (e.g., Movies, TV Shows)
   • WebDAV Path: The path on the WebDAV server (e.g., /movies, /tvshows)
   • Content Type: Select Movies or TV Shows

   Repeat for each library you want to import.

6. Configure scan options:

   • Scan Recursively: Scan sub-directories for media files (enabled by default)
   • Auto-Fetch Metadata: Automatically look up TMDB metadata after sync completes (enabled by default)
   • Metadata Source: Choose TMDB for full metadata enrichment or Filename Only to skip external lookups
   • Video File Extensions: Customise which file extensions are scanned (default: mp4, mkv, avi, mov, wmv, ts, m4v)

7. Click Test Connection & Scan Paths to validate the connection and preview discovered media

8. Click Create to save the integration

tip

After saving, the integration will appear under Media Servers and a playlist will be created automatically.

What Gets Synced

When you sync the integration, M3U Editor connects to the WebDAV server, lists all media files in the configured paths, and imports:

• Movies: Discovered movie files as VOD channels, including title, year, and genre (via TMDB)
• TV Series: Complete series imported with seasons and episodes, organized by folder and filename
• TMDB Metadata (when enabled): Poster art, backdrop images, overviews, ratings, cast, and proper genre categorisation

Genre Handling

On the first sync, each item is grouped under the Library Name you configured (e.g., Movies). After TMDB metadata is fetched, the genre is updated to the actual TMDB genre (e.g., Action, Drama). See Integration Settings for genre handling options.

Streaming

Media files are streamed to clients by proxying HTTP requests through M3U Editor. Credentials are never exposed to the client — M3U Editor authenticates with the WebDAV server on the client's behalf.

note

If your WebDAV server requires authentication, ensure the WebDAV Username and WebDAV Password are configured correctly. M3U Editor will use HTTP Basic Auth when fetching and proxying media files.

Sync Actions

The integration supports the same actions as other media server integrations. See Media Server Integration Settings for a full reference.

Action	Description
Sync Now	Triggers a full re-scan of all configured paths
Test Connection	Validates the WebDAV connection and counts media files
View Playlist	Opens the generated playlist for editing
Cleanup Duplicates	Merges duplicate series entries
Delete	Removes the integration

Synology DSM Example

To enable WebDAV on a Synology NAS:

1. Open DSM → Control Panel → File Services → WebDAV
2. Enable WebDAV and note the HTTP port (default 5005)
3. In M3U Editor, set:
   • Host: Your NAS IP (e.g., 192.168.1.200)
   • Port: 5005
   • Username / Password: Your DSM credentials
   • WebDAV Path: The shared folder path (e.g., /movies, /video/movies)

Troubleshooting

Connection Failed

• Verify the Host, Port, and Use HTTPS settings match your server configuration
• Test the WebDAV URL directly in a browser: http://<host>:<port>/<path>
• Ensure your WebDAV server is reachable from the M3U Editor host (check firewall rules)
• For Synology, confirm WebDAV is enabled in DSM → File Services

No Media Found After Scan

• Verify the WebDAV Path exists on the server and contains video files
• Confirm the Content Type is set correctly (Movies vs TV Shows)
• Enable Scan Recursively if files are in sub-directories
• Check the file extensions match the Video File Extensions list

Authentication Error

• Double-check the username and password
• For Nextcloud, use your Nextcloud username and an app password (not your account password)

TV Shows Not Importing Correctly

• Ensure TV show files are organized under Series Name / Season X / episode.mkv
• Use a recognised filename pattern (e.g., S01E02 or 1x02)

TMDB Metadata Not Appearing

• Confirm a TMDB API key is set in Settings
• Ensure Auto-Fetch Metadata is enabled and Metadata Source is set to TMDB
• Trigger a manual sync; TMDB enrichment runs after the initial file scan

Related Documentation

• Local Media Integration
• Emby Integration
• Plex Integration
• Media Server Integration Settings
• Docker Compose Deployments