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Duplicate first-level folders in Nextcloud external storage when sharing files #17856
Description
⚠️ Before posting ⚠️
- This is a bug, not a question or an enhancement.
- I've searched for similar issues and didn't find a duplicate.
- I've written a clear and descriptive title for this issue, not just "Bug" or "Crash".
- I agree to follow Nextcloud's Code of Conduct.
Steps to reproduce
- Open MyPeugeot or Google Photos on an Android 16 device.
- Select a file and use Share → Nextcloud.
- Navigate to an external storage folder named
20tb. - Observe that all first-level folders are listed twice, with different modification dates.
- Open either copy. The newer one initially appears empty, but its contents become visible after waiting.
- Both copies ultimately lead to the same files and subfolders.
Expected behaviour
Each folder should appear only once. The folder contents should load normally.
Actual behaviour
When sharing a file from MyPeugeot or Google Photos to Nextcloud, all first-level folders inside the external storage 20tb appear twice, with different modification dates.
The newer entries initially appear empty, but their contents become visible after waiting. Both entries lead to the same files and subfolders.
Subfolders at deeper levels are displayed only once. When browsing directly in the Nextcloud app, there are no duplicates.
The problem is reproducible from multiple apps.
Android version
16
Device brand and model
Motorola Edge 60
Stock or custom OS?
Stock
Nextcloud android app version
35.0.1
Nextcloud server version
34.0.3
Using a reverse proxy?
Yes
Android logs
No response
Server error logs
Additional information
The issue occurs only in the external storage 20tb, not in the regular Nextcloud folders.
It is reproducible when sharing files from both MyPeugeot and Google Photos.
The duplicate entries have different modification dates but eventually display identical contents. No actual duplicate folders have been observed on the server.
Android and server logs have not been collected yet. They can be provided if needed.
Activity
daniele-verducci commentedon Oct 21, 2026
Hey @piiskop , I spent a fair amount of time trying to reproduce the issue on two different servers (one with an existing very big external storage, and one in a docker instance I specifically set up for this issue that replicates your setup), but I wasn't able to reproduce it unfortunately.
Can you check I'm doing the right way?
Screen_recording_20261021_182935.webm
Can you provide more info? Specifically what kind of external share is (webdav, local filesystem, sftp...) and how it's setup. Can you confirm the duplication appears only on the share chooser but not in the Files app or in the web version?
Logs here could be useful, in this case both the Android's one and the server's one.
piiskop commentedon Oct 22, 2026
Thanks for taking the time to investigate and for providing the video!
I watched your recording and can confirm that you are following the correct steps. The difference is that, in my case, every first-level folder inside
20tbappears twice in the upload destination chooser, with different modification dates.The external storage is configured as follows:
/20tb20tbI have also checked the Nextcloud web interface. There are no duplicates there, nor in the regular Nextcloud Android file browser.
The issue occurs only in the upload destination chooser when sharing from other applications (confirmed with both MyPeugeot and Google Photos).
Both copies lead to the same contents. The newer entry initially appears empty, but its contents become visible after waiting. Deeper subfolders are displayed only once.
Was the external storage in your test also configured using SMB/CIFS?
I have not collected Android or server logs yet, but can provide them if necessary.
6801318d8d commentedon Oct 26, 2026
We have a fix
jfpesant commentedon Oct 26, 2026
I got the exact same issue.
Android version
17
Device brand and model
Pixel 9
Stock or custom OS?
Custom (GrapheneOS)
Nextcloud android app version
35.0.1
Nextcloud server version
34.0.5.1 (installed as snap on Ubuntu)
LemonHard commentedon Nov 6, 2026
Hi,
I'm experiencing a similar issue with Nextcloud Dev (F-Droid), but with some differences that may help identify the cause.
Environment
Actual behavior
Expected behavior
Each file and folder should appear exactly once in the Android document picker, and every displayed entry should be functional.
Difference from the original report
Unlike the original issue, the duplication affects the entire directory hierarchy, rather than only the first level of an external SMB/CIFS storage.
Also, the second entry is completely non-functional, rather than eventually loading its contents.
This seems related to how Nextcloud's DocumentsProvider exposes or indexes entries through Android SAF, although the root cause is not confirmed.
I can provide additional diagnostic information if needed.
piiskop commentedon Nov 6, 2026
Thanks @LemonHard for the additional report. I also noticed PR #17885, which proposes a fix for duplicate local file entries caused by concurrent folder refreshes.
Could the maintainers clarify two points?
I can retest the original issue on my Motorola Edge 60 once a build containing the fix is available.
taz-man73 commentedon Nov 14, 2026
I would like to share that I have the same issue on my setup.
Only the first level folders are duplicated and some with different dates, and only when I use the share function of my smartphone to send files to Nextcloud. Once entered inside one first level folder, the subfolders are no more duplicated.
When I use the app to navigate, the first level folders are not duplicated. Same when I use a web browser on my computer, first level folders are note duplicated.
The bug appears only when using the sharing function og my smartphone.
Android version
17
Device brand and model
Samsung S25 Edge
Stock or custom OS?
Stock
Nextcloud android app version
35.0.2
Nextcloud server version
Nextcloud Hub 26 Summer (35.0.2).
Nextcloud server setup
My server is AIO running on docker in Ubuntu server and it uses local server disks for data storage.
Using a reverse proxy?
Yes
6801318d8d commentedon Nov 14, 2026
The issue can be fixed with my PR #17885