Why is Mac Finder slow when accessing NAS shared folders via WebDAV?
Applicable Products
All NAS series
Solution
To improve performance, we recommend using a third-party WebDAV client on macOS. These applications are generally more efficient in handling WebDAV connections and can bypass some of the limitations inherent in Finder.
Suggested Third-Party WebDAV Clients for macOS, like Cyberduck, Transmit, and Mountain Duck.
Using one of the above tools can help ensure faster and more stable performance
Details
This behavior is primarily due to how macOS Finder interacts with WebDAV-mounted folders. When accessing a directory through WebDAV, Finder issues a high volume of PROPFIND requests for each file. These requests are used to retrieve various types of metadata and may include:
Checking for thumbnail availability
Verifying support for version control (DAV:version-controlled)
Retrieving metadata such as timestamps, file sizes, permissions, and ownership
This intensive querying process significantly increases the time required to list files, resulting in slower performance. This is a known limitation of Finder when used with WebDAV connections and is not specific to the NAS device.
