adeelahmad · Oct 5, 2026 · Oct 5, 2026
diff --git a/DEVLOG.md b/DEVLOG.md
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ Todo:
 - [x] The file store (blobs.py, docs/storage.md): this machine or any storage connection through rclone (S3, Drive,
       Dropbox, OneDrive, SFTP, SMB, WebDAV, a folder), keyring-encrypted before it leaves, optional rclone crypt; the
       `files` settings, a check, the assistant's file_storage tool. Adeel said go 2026-10-05, with rclone and crypt
-- [ ] Settings → Storage and the setup wizard step (pick a connection, folder, crypt, check); new installs choose
+- [x] Settings → Storage and the setup wizard step (pick or add a connection, folder, crypt, check); new installs choose
 - [ ] Attachments on notes in the file store; BlockSuite images and files
 - [ ] Moving uploads and recordings' media to the file store (pipelines need local copies: a cache)
 - [ ] A downloadable storage key (the server secret; opens every namespace that isn't a passkey vault)

diff --git a/docs/storage.md b/docs/storage.md
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 # Where Lens keeps its files
 
 Status: **built**: the file store (this machine, or any storage connection through rclone, optionally wrapped in rclone
-crypt), its settings, a check, and the assistant's `file_storage` tool. **In progress**: Settings → Storage and the
-setup wizard step, notes' attachments. **Planned**: moving uploads and recordings' media there too, and a downloadable
+crypt), its settings, a check, the assistant's `file_storage` tool, Settings → Storage and the setup wizard's choice.
+**In progress**: notes' attachments. **Planned**: moving uploads and recordings' media there too, and a downloadable
 storage key.
 
 The files Lens makes its own, starting with notes' attachments, go where **Settings → Storage** (the `files` section)
-says:
+says. The setup wizard's Storage step asks the same: on this machine, or on a storage connection, which can be added
+right there (the same dialog as Sources) and is checked before it's saved.
 
 | Setting | |
 |---|---|

diff --git a/nextjs-frontend/__tests__/file-store.test.ts b/nextjs-frontend/__tests__/file-store.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+import { crossErrors, FIELDS, parse } from "@/components/settings/model";
+import { fileStoreTry, NOT_STORAGE } from "@/components/storage/file-store";
+
+const spec = (key: string) => FIELDS.find((f) => f.section === "files" && f.key === key)!;
+
+describe("where Lens keeps its own files", () => {
+  it("checks or saves what is chosen", () => {
+    expect(fileStoreTry("local", "3", "x", true)).toEqual({ store: "local", crypt: false });
+    expect(fileStoreTry("connection", "3", " my-bucket/lens ", 1)).toEqual({
+      store: "connection",
+      connection: 3,
+      folder: "my-bucket/lens",
+      crypt: true,
+    });
+    expect(fileStoreTry("connection", "", "", false)).toMatchObject({ connection: null });
+  });
+
+  it("parses the connection as an id, and asks for one", () => {
+    expect(parse(spec("connection"), "12")).toEqual({ value: 12 });
+    expect(parse(spec("connection"), "")).toEqual({ value: null });
+    expect(crossErrors({ "files.store": "connection", "files.connection": null })["files.connection"]).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(crossErrors({ "files.store": "local", "files.connection": null })["files.connection"]).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(crossErrors({ "files.folder": "a/../b" })["files.folder"]).toBeTruthy();
+  });
+
+  it("never offers email or calendars as storage", () => {
+    expect(NOT_STORAGE.has("imap") && NOT_STORAGE.has("ical") && !NOT_STORAGE.has("s3")).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/nextjs-frontend/components/settings/bodies.tsx b/nextjs-frontend/components/settings/bodies.tsx
@@ -5,14 +5,16 @@ import { PlugZap, RefreshCw, Terminal } from "lucide-react";
 import Link from "next/link";
 import { useEffect, useRef, type ReactNode } from "react";
 
-import { Admin, Fedora, Metadata, Sensors } from "@/app/openapi-client";
+import { Admin, Fedora, Metadata, Sensors, Sources } from "@/app/openapi-client";
 import { ComponentsStatus } from "@/components/settings/components-status";
 import { AllTokens } from "@/components/account/all-tokens";
 import { ACCESS } from "@/components/iiif/metadata-model";
 import { RIGHTS } from "@/components/iiif/rights";
 import { hubText } from "@/components/sensors/sensor-model";
 import { SecretSetting, SettingField, ZoneBar, type FieldState } from "@/components/settings/fields";
 import { SignInProviders } from "@/components/settings/sign-in-providers";
+import { AddConnection } from "@/components/storage/add-connection";
+import { NOT_STORAGE, fileStoreTry } from "@/components/storage/file-store";
 import {
   AI_TOOLS,
   SPEECH_PROVIDERS,
@@ -369,6 +371,8 @@ export function SectionBody({ ctx }: { ctx: BodyCtx }) {
           </p>
         </>
       );
+    case "storage":
+      return <StorageBody ctx={ctx} />;
     case "telemetry":
       return <TelemetryBody ctx={ctx} />;
     case "fedora":
@@ -566,6 +570,77 @@ function TelemetryBody({ ctx }: { ctx: BodyCtx }) {
   );
 }
 
+function StorageBody({ ctx }: { ctx: BodyCtx }) {
+  const client = useApiClient();
+  const conns = useQuery({ queryKey: ["sources"], queryFn: () => data(Sources.listSources({ client })) });
+  const storage = (conns.data ?? []).filter((c) => !NOT_STORAGE.has(c.type));
+  const store = ctx.state("files.store").value;
+  const body = fileStoreTry(
+    store,
+    ctx.state("files.connection").value,
+    ctx.state("files.folder").value,
+    ctx.state("files.crypt").value,
+  );
+  const test = useMutation({ mutationFn: () => data(Admin.testFileStore({ client, body })) });
+  const saved = ctx.view.files?.values ?? {};
+  const savedConn = storage.find((c) => c.id === saved.connection);
+  return (
+    <>
+      <Banner
+        title={
+          saved.store === "connection"
+            ? `Files go to ${savedConn?.name ?? "a connection"}${saved.folder ? `, under ${saved.folder}` : ""}${saved.crypt ? ", through rclone crypt" : ""}.`
+            : "Files are kept on this machine."
+        }
+      >
+        Each file is encrypted with its namespace’s key before it leaves the machine, so a connection only ever holds
+        ciphertext. Files already kept stay where they were put when this changes.
+      </Banner>
+      <F ctx={ctx} id="files.store" />
+      {store === "connection" && (
+        <>
+          {conns.isSuccess && !storage.length ? (
+            <Banner tone="error" title="No storage connection yet.">
+              Add one (S3, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, SFTP, SMB or WebDAV); it’s picked here once it works.
+            </Banner>
+          ) : (
+            <F
+              ctx={ctx}
+              id="files.connection"
+              options={[
+                { value: "", label: "Choose a connection" },
+                ...storage.map((c) => ({ value: String(c.id), label: `${c.name} (${c.type})` })),
+              ]}
+            />
+          )}
+          <div>
+            <AddConnection  => ctx.state("files.connection").onChange(String(id))} />
+          </div>
+          <F ctx={ctx} id="files.folder" />
+          <F ctx={ctx} id="files.crypt" />
+        </>
+      )}
+      <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2.5">
+        <Button size="sm" icon={<PlugZap />}  => test.mutate()} disabled={test.isPending}>
+          {test.isPending ? "Checking…" : "Check it"}
+        </Button>
+        <span className="text-[12px] text-fg-muted">Writes a small file there, reads it back and removes it</span>
+      </div>
+      {test.data &&
+        (test.data.ok ? (
+          <Banner tone="success" title="It works.">
+            Written, read back and removed in {test.data.seconds} s.
+          </Banner>
+        ) : (
+          <Banner tone="error" title="That didn’t work.">
+            {test.data.error}
+          </Banner>
+        ))}
+      {test.isError && <Banner tone="error">{test.error.message}</Banner>}
+    </>
+  );
+}
+
 /** "Sent 12, 3 files, 140 unchanged" from the last sync's counts. */
 export function fedoraCounts(c: Record<string, unknown> | null | undefined): string {
   if (!c) return "";

diff --git a/nextjs-frontend/components/settings/model.ts b/nextjs-frontend/components/settings/model.ts
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ export type SectionId =
   | "fedora"
   | "sensors"
   | "uploads"
+      | "storage"
   | "documents"
   | "tokens"
   | "iiif"
@@ -249,6 +250,13 @@ export const SECTIONS: SectionSpec[] = [
     description:
       "Audio and video people upload in the web app: which types, how large, and how long an unfinished upload waits.",
   },
+  {
+    id: "storage",
+    label: "Storage",
+    backend: ["files"],
+    description:
+      "Where Lens keeps the files it makes its own, such as notes’ attachments: this machine, or a storage connection (S3, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, SFTP, SMB, WebDAV). Files are encrypted before they leave the machine.",
+  },
   {
     id: "documents",
     label: "Documents",
@@ -1811,6 +1819,46 @@ export const FIELDS: FieldSpec[] = [
     kind: "checks",
     options: UPLOAD_TYPES.map((e) => ({ value: e, label: e.slice(1) })),
   },
+  // Storage (Lens's own files: blobs.py)
+  {
+    section: "files",
+    key: "store",
+    label: "Keep files",
+    kind: "cards",
+    options: [
+      { value: "local", label: "On this machine", hint: "In the server’s data folder, under objects" },
+      {
+        value: "connection",
+        label: "On a storage connection",
+        hint: "S3, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, SFTP, SMB, WebDAV",
+      },
+    ],
+  },
+  {
+    section: "files",
+    key: "connection",
+    label: "Connection",
+    kind: "select",
+    nullable: true,
+    options: [],
+    hint: "Connections are added under Sources",
+  },
+  {
+    section: "files",
+    key: "folder",
+    label: "Folder",
+    kind: "text",
+    mono: true,
+    placeholder: "lens",
+    hint: "Where on it: for S3, the bucket and a path (my-bucket/lens); for a folder on this machine, its full path",
+  },
+  {
+    section: "files",
+    key: "crypt",
+    label: "Also encrypt with rclone crypt",
+    kind: "switch",
+    hint: "Hides the names and sizes of the files there too. Lens makes and keeps its password; there is nothing to remember",
+  },
   // Documents
   {
     section: "documents",
@@ -2045,6 +2093,8 @@ export function parse(f: FieldSpec, ui: unknown): Parsed {
     }
     case "select":
       if (f.key === "frame_width") return { value: Number(ui) };
+      if (f.section === "files" && f.key === "connection")
+        return { value: ui === "" || ui == null ? null : Number(ui) };
       return { value: ui === "" && f.nullable ? null : ui };
     default: {
       const s = String(ui ?? "").trim();
@@ -2115,6 +2165,10 @@ export function crossErrors(values: Record<string, unknown>): Record<string, str
     e["server.embed_frame_ancestors"] = `“${badOrigin}” isn’t an origin like https://blog.example.org or 'self'`;
   const types = values["uploads.extensions"] as string[] | undefined;
   if (types && !types.length) e["uploads.extensions"] = "Pick at least one type";
+  if (values["files.store"] === "connection" && values["files.connection"] == null)
+    e["files.connection"] = "Choose the connection files go to";
+  const folder = values["files.folder"];
+  if (typeof folder === "string" && folder.split("/").includes("..")) e["files.folder"] = "A folder can’t contain ..";
   const gaz = values["analysis.gazetteer"] as string[] | undefined;
   const g = gaz ? gazetteerErrors(gaz) : null;
   if (g) e["analysis.gazetteer"] = g;

diff --git a/nextjs-frontend/components/settings/settings-shell.tsx b/nextjs-frontend/components/settings/settings-shell.tsx
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import {
   ChartNoAxesColumn,
   Clapperboard,
   Cpu,
+  Database,
   HardDrive,
   FileType,
   Fingerprint,
@@ -80,6 +81,7 @@ const ICON: Record<AnySectionId, LucideIcon> = {
   fedora: Archive,
   sensors: RadioTower,
   uploads: Upload,
+  storage: Database,
   documents: FileType,
   tokens: KeyRound,
   iiif: Globe,