To open files on a NAS or a shared Windows folder from your Android phone, you need an app that speaks SMB, the file-sharing protocol used by Windows, Synology, QNAP, TrueNAS and most home routers with USB storage. Solid Explorer connects to SMB 2 and SMB 3 shares (and old SMB 1 devices). It can find servers on your Wi-Fi automatically, and it lets you browse, stream, copy and edit files there as if they were on your phone.
What you need
Your phone and the NAS or PC on the same Wi-Fi or wired network.
File sharing (SMB) turned on for the NAS or PC.
The username and password of an account on that NAS or PC, unless the share allows guest access.
Optionally, the server's IP address (for example
192.168.1.20) and the share name (for exampleMedia), in case it isn't found automatically.
Add the connection
In Solid Explorer, tap the + button at the bottom right of a file panel and choose New connection.
Under Connection type, choose LAN / SMB, then tap Next.
On Server details, Solid Explorer scans your network. Servers it finds appear in a list as
NAME [IP address]. Tap yours, then tap Next. (Tap Rescan to search again.)Server not in the list? After a few seconds, a bar appears at the bottom that says Didn't find what you're looking for? Slide it up and enter the server details by hand:
Server name or IP address, for example
192.168.1.20ormynas.Port number. Leave it at 445 unless you changed it on the server.
Path. Leave it empty to see all shares on the server, or enter a share name (for example
Media) to open it directly.Display name. The name shown in Solid Explorer. It defaults to the server name.
On Authentication, choose Username and password, or Guest if the share allows access without logging in.
Enter your Username and Password. Keep Remember password checked if you don't want to type it each time.
On Set advanced? choose No for most setups. Choose Yes only if you need SMB 1 or SMB 3 encryption (see below).
Check the Review page and tap Next. On Almost done!, tap Connect. When the test succeeds, tap Finish.
The connection opens straight away and stays in the side menu (drawer) under Storage, so next time it's one tap away.
Logging in with a domain or Microsoft account
There's no separate field for the domain or workgroup. If your account belongs to a domain, write it in the Username field as DOMAIN\username or username@domain.
When the shared folder is on a Windows PC that you sign into with a Microsoft account, use that account's email address and password (not your PIN) as the username and password.
Advanced options: SMB version and encryption
If you choose Yes on Set advanced?, you get two more pages:
Protocol version. SMB 2/SMB 3 (Recommended) works with every NAS and Windows version from the last decade. Pick SMB 1 only for very old devices, such as old routers with a USB drive, early NAS models or Windows XP. Solid Explorer doesn't switch versions for you: if a device only supports SMB 1, you have to choose it here.
Data encryption (SMB 3). Enabled encrypts all data between your phone and the server. Turn it on if your server requires encryption or if you don't trust the network. It's slightly slower and only works with SMB 3 servers.
Using the connection
Open it in the other panel. Tap the second panel to make it active, then pick the connection from the drawer. The usual setup is your phone storage on one side and the NAS on the other, so you can drag files between them.
Edit, rename or delete. Open the drawer, tap the ⋮ menu at the top and choose Storage manager. Each connection there has its own ⋮ menu with Edit, Delete and Create shortcut (a home-screen shortcut straight to your NAS).
Interrupted copies continue. If Wi-Fi drops in the middle of a large copy to or from an SMB 2/3 share, Solid Explorer retries and continues from where it stopped instead of starting over.
Troubleshooting
My NAS doesn't appear in the scan.
The scan uses NetBIOS name discovery, which many modern NAS and Windows setups turn off. Add the server by hand with its IP address (step 4). You can find the IP in your NAS app, in your router's list of connected devices, or by running ipconfig on the Windows PC.
"Unable to find target host."
The name or IP address is wrong, or your phone isn't on the same network. Check that you're on home Wi-Fi rather than mobile data or a guest network, and try the IP address instead of the name.
"Connection refused."
The server is reachable but nothing is listening on port 445. Make sure SMB / Windows file sharing is turned on for the NAS or PC, and that a firewall isn't blocking it.
"The user name or password is invalid. Please log in again."
Check the username and password. For a Windows PC with a Microsoft account, use the email and account password, not the PIN. For a domain account, add the domain as described above.
"Server refused to list the shares. Please provide the share name in the "path" field."
Some servers don't let you list their shares. Edit the connection (**Storage manager → ⋮ → Edit**) and type the share name in Path.
"Requested resource was not found."
The share or folder in Path doesn't exist. Check the spelling, or clear the field to see all shares.
"Access denied."
You're logged in, but your account doesn't have permission for that share or folder. Change the share permissions on the NAS or PC.
It works for an old device only with SMB 1, or not at all.
Many servers turn SMB 1 off because it's insecure, and many old devices only support SMB 1. If one setting fails, edit the connection, choose Set advanced? → Yes, and try the other Protocol version.
Can I connect from outside my home?
SMB is meant for local networks, and opening it to the internet is unsafe. To reach your NAS from outside, use a VPN to your home network (many routers and NAS devices have one built in), then connect as usual. You can also use SFTP or WebDAV if your NAS supports them.