A lightweight, modern, and open-source Android client for SMB/CIFS shares.
About this app
SambaLite is a lightweight, modern, and open-source Android client for SMB/CIFS shares (Samba). It is designed as a minimalist, reliable, and secure tool for accessing SMB shares on your local network – without ads, tracking, or unnecessary features.
SambaLite is a file client, not a system-level filesystem. It focuses on accessing and transferring files, not on providing a mounted network drive.
The app is intended for tech-savvy users who prefer a lean, transparent solution and value privacy and open source.
Main features:
• Manage connections: SMB server (hostname/IP), share/path, username, password, optional domain • Multiple connections with custom names • Connection testing with clear error messages • Secure credential storage (Android Keystore) • File browser with name, type, size, and modification date • Pull-to-refresh • Sorting (name, date, size) • File operations: download, upload, delete, rename • File properties • Dark/Light mode (system default)
Compatibility:
• Supports modern SMB2/SMB3 servers • SMB1 is not supported (deprecated and insecure)
Security & Privacy:
• No telemetry or third-party connections • No unencrypted storage of sensitive data • Credentials stored securely using the Android Keystore
Permissions:
SambaLite only requests the permissions required for its functionality:
• Network access (SMB communication) • Access to user-selected storage locations (via Android system file picker) • Foreground service and notifications (for reliable background transfers and progress display)
No data is collected or transmitted to third parties.
SambaLite provides a modern, minimal, and privacy-friendly way to access SMB shares on Android – focused on reliability and transparency.
Licensed under Apache-2.0, by egdels.
What's New in v2.5.4
Imported from the F-Droid repository index.
- - Fixed: Guest login (issue #32) — connections without credentials now use true anonymous login instead of "Guest", so Samba servers without "map to guest = Bad User" no longer reject them.
- - Fixed: Anonymous sessions are restricted to SMB2 dialects to avoid a crash in the SMB library (smbj#792).
Version history
Jul 13, 2026 · 15.3 MB · Android API 28–36 · code 20504
Imported from the F-Droid repository index.
- - Fixed: Guest login (issue #32) — connections without credentials now use true anonymous login instead of "Guest", so Samba servers without "map to guest = Bad User" no longer reject them.
- - Fixed: Anonymous sessions are restricted to SMB2 dialects to avoid a crash in the SMB library (smbj#792).
SHA-256 945652690718a414a17380b309aea244745cb4bfeaa227652198277bc7b089cc
Jul 10, 2026 · 15.3 MB · Android API 28–36 · code 20503
Imported from the F-Droid repository index.
- - Added: Optional default folder per connection, opened automatically on connect.
- - Added: Downloads keep the remote file's last-modified timestamp where possible.
- - Changed: Much faster SMB transfers and reworked thumbnail loading.
- - Fixed: Duplicate "(1)" folders during sync; files with accented names no longer missed.
SHA-256 9d9c6b342f171dcbaad4176b5103fd36a1d199b6ae6044043ad5e6f3a8fd9518
Jun 26, 2026 · 15.3 MB · Android API 28–36 · code 20502
Imported from the F-Droid repository index.
- - Changed: Much faster folder sync on slow or high-latency connections (Issue #21). Remote file metadata for a directory is now fetched in a single listing instead of opening every file multiple times, drastically reducing SMB round-trips.
- - Changed: Idle syncs (many files, few or no changes) that previously took minutes now complete in seconds.
- - Changed: Reduced per-file overhead during uploads by avoiding redundant post-upload metadata reads.
SHA-256 659882b0223518566b314187483540d7adc6a687705dc2244b097895612edbdd
Will it run on your device?
60%
- Targets newer Android builds, so legacy devices may be excluded.
- ABI coverage is focused on newer 64-bit devices.
- Aligned with the latest Android target SDK expectations.
Installation Guide
Open Settings on your Android device
Go to Security → Unknown sources (or Install unknown apps)
Enable "Allow from this source" for your browser or file manager
Open the downloaded APK file from your Downloads folder
Tap "Install" and wait for installation to complete
Launch the app from your home screen
Make sure to re-enable Unknown Sources restrictions after installation for security.
How to install this safely
How to verify the file you downloaded
Before you install anything, confirm the file is the one described here. On a computer, run shasum -a 256 your-download.apk (macOS or Linux) or certutil -hashfile your-download.apk SHA256 (Windows), then compare the output character-for-character with the SHA-256 on this page. If a single character differs, the file is not the build we recorded — delete it.
What the signing certificate proves
Every Android app is signed with a private key that only its developer holds. The fingerprint on this page is a hash of the matching public certificate, and it proves continuity rather than identity: it tells you a build came from whoever signed the earlier ones. Android enforces this at install time — if a package claiming to be de.schliweb.sambalite is signed with a different key, the system will refuse to install it over your existing copy. A fingerprint that changes between releases is worth pausing on, because a repackaged app that has been modified by someone else cannot keep the original signature.
How to roll back to an earlier version
If the current release misbehaves, 2.5.3 is the last build before it. Android will not install an older version code over a newer one, so you must uninstall SambaLite first — which clears its local data unless you have a backup. Reinstall the older APK only if its signing fingerprint matches the build you already trust, and check the API range: an older release may target an Android version your device has moved past.
Why we list sources instead of hosting everything
The official store channel is almost always the right choice: it updates automatically and carries the publisher's own distribution guarantees. A direct APK is useful when a device has no store access, when a rollout has not reached your region, or when you need a specific version — and only when the publisher has authorized that copy. APKBrowse does not list pirated, cracked, or unauthorized rebuilds of SambaLite, and a listing is removed when the evidence for it stops holding up.
Get SambaLite
Every source we list for de.schliweb.sambalite is legality-reviewed. Pirated or cracked builds are never offered.
Other sources
F-Droid listing
officialF-Droid builds this app from source and signs it. This is its official listing, with older builds and full release notes.
Source code
verified publisherThe upstream repository this build is compiled from.
We check legality and signature continuity, but device behaviour still varies. Install at your own discretion.
App Information
Security Verification
We record provenance; we do not run malware scans. Verify the hash yourself before installing.
SHA-256 Hash
945652690718a414a17380b309aea244745cb4bfeaa227652198277bc7b089cc
Signing certificate
ae322d3fb71afe21df4727e37a5c6803511d5a2fe1fc3135430cee0699fa1b34
Permissions Required
What each permission lets SambaLite do. A highlighted one is worth a second look — not necessarily wrong, just worth asking whether this app needs it.
Previous Versions
The signing certificate fingerprint for this release is on record, so a build that does not match it did not come from this publisher.
More Social apps
More from F-Droid
Report a problem with this listing
A listing is only as good as its corrections. If a source is broken, a signature looks wrong, or this app should not be here, tell the moderation team.