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Overview

This guide will walk you through configuring r2Vault and uploading your first file to Cloudflare R2.

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Step 1: Launch r2Vault

After installing r2Vault, launch the app from your Applications folder or Spotlight. You’ll see the r2Vault icon appear in your menu bar (top-right corner). Click the icon to open the popover interface.
r2Vault runs exclusively in the menu bar—no Dock icon, no app switcher presence. It’s designed to stay out of your way until you need it.

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Step 2: Configure R2 Credentials

To connect r2Vault to your Cloudflare R2 bucket, you’ll need to configure your credentials.
1

Open Settings

Press ⌘, (Command-Comma) or click the gear icon in the menu bar popover, then select Settings.
2

Get your Cloudflare R2 credentials

You’ll need the following information from your Cloudflare dashboard:
  • Account ID: Found in the Cloudflare dashboard sidebar
  • Access Key ID: From an R2 API token
  • Secret Access Key: From the same R2 API token
  • Bucket Name: The name of your R2 bucket
  • Custom Domain (optional): If you’ve set up a custom domain for public URLs
To create an R2 API token:
  1. Go to R2 in your Cloudflare dashboard
  2. Click Manage R2 API Tokens
  3. Click Create API Token
  4. Select Edit permissions
  5. Copy the Access Key ID and Secret Access Key
3

Enter your credentials

Paste your credentials into the Settings form:
  • Account ID: Your Cloudflare account ID
  • Access Key ID: Your R2 API token access key
  • Secret Access Key: Your R2 API token secret
  • Bucket Name: The bucket you want to connect to
  • Custom Domain (optional): Your custom domain URL (e.g., https://cdn.example.com)
4

Test the connection

Click Test Connection to verify your credentials are correct. If successful, you’ll see a green ✓ Connected to R2 message.
5

Save

Click Save to store your credentials securely in the macOS Keychain.
Your credentials are stored securely in the macOS Keychain. r2Vault never sends your credentials to any third-party service—all communication happens directly between your Mac and Cloudflare’s R2 API.

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Step 3: Browse Your Bucket

Once configured, r2Vault will automatically load your bucket contents. You can browse files in two modes:
  • Icon view: Grid layout with file icons
  • List view: Table layout with file details
Use the breadcrumb navigation at the top to navigate folders, or double-click folders to open them.

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Quick Look Preview

Press spacebar while a file is selected to preview it with Quick Look—just like in Finder.

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Step 4: Upload Your First File

There are three ways to upload files to r2Vault:
  1. Click the r2Vault menu bar icon to open the popover
  2. Drag files from Finder into the drop zone
  3. Watch the upload progress in real-time

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Method 2: File Picker

  1. Click the drop zone in the menu bar popover
  2. Select files from the file picker dialog
  3. Click Open to start uploading

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Method 3: Upload from Main Window

  1. Open the main r2Vault window (click Open R2 Vault in the menu bar popover)
  2. Click Upload Files… button
  3. Select files and click Open
r2Vault supports concurrent uploads—you can upload multiple files at once, and each one will have its own progress bar.

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Step 5: Copy Public URL

After a successful upload, r2Vault automatically copies the public URL to your clipboard. You’ll see a “Link copied!” toast notification. You can also copy the URL later from the Recent Uploads list in the menu bar popover.

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Real-World Workflow Example

Here’s a typical workflow using r2Vault:
1

Take a screenshot

Press ⌘⇧4 (Command-Shift-4) to take a screenshot on macOS.
2

Upload instantly

Drag the screenshot from your Desktop directly onto the r2Vault menu bar icon. The popover opens automatically, and the upload starts immediately.
3

Share the URL

The public URL is automatically copied to your clipboard. Paste it into Slack, Discord, email, or wherever you need to share the image.
https://youraccount.r2.cloudflarestorage.com/yourbucket/abc12345-screenshot.png
4

View upload history

All your uploads are saved in the Recent Uploads list. Click the link icon to copy the URL again, or the trash icon to delete from R2.
If you’ve configured a custom domain in Settings, the public URL will use your custom domain instead of the default R2 URL.

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Managing Multiple Buckets

r2Vault supports connecting to multiple R2 buckets. To add another bucket:
1

Open Settings

Press ⌘, to open Settings.
2

Add New Connection

Click Add New in the Connections section.
3

Enter credentials for the new bucket

Fill in the Account ID, Access Key, Secret Key, and Bucket Name for your second bucket.
4

Save

Click Save to add the new connection.
To switch between buckets, click the gear icon in the menu bar popover and select the bucket from the Switch Bucket menu.

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Next Steps

Now that you’re up and running, explore more features:

File Management

Create folders, delete files, and organize your bucket

Menu Bar Widget

Master the menu bar interface for lightning-fast uploads

Upload System

Learn more about the upload system and history

File Browser

Explore the file browser features

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Troubleshooting

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Connection failed

If the Test Connection fails:
  • Double-check your Account ID, Access Key, and Secret Key
  • Verify the bucket name is correct (case-sensitive)
  • Ensure your R2 API token has Edit permissions
  • Check that your Cloudflare account has an active R2 subscription

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Upload failed

If an upload fails:
  • Check your internet connection
  • Verify your R2 API token hasn’t expired
  • Ensure you haven’t exceeded your R2 storage quota
  • Check the file size—R2 has a 5GB per-object limit

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Public URL doesn’t work

By default, R2 buckets are private. To make objects publicly accessible:
  1. Go to your Cloudflare dashboard
  2. Navigate to R2 → Your Bucket → Settings
  3. Enable Public Access or set up a custom domain
Alternatively, use presigned URLs for temporary, secure sharing (coming in a future r2Vault release).