Connect AWS S3 to your Lovable app in minutes using the native S3 connector under Settings → Connectors. Once connected, Lovable's AI automatically generates the correct code for file uploads, downloads, and bucket management. Choose S3 when you already have AWS infrastructure or need enterprise-scale file storage. Most new projects should use Lovable Cloud Storage (built-in, zero config) instead.
Use AWS S3 for File Storage in Your Lovable App
AWS S3 is one of Lovable's 17 official shared connectors, configured once at the workspace level under Settings → Connectors and available to every project. When the connector is active, Lovable's AI understands S3's capabilities and generates production-ready code for bucket operations without you providing SDK documentation or authentication patterns manually.
The key decision is whether you actually need S3. Lovable Cloud Storage — powered by Supabase Storage — is the built-in default, supports files up to 2 GB, and requires no AWS account. It is the right choice for most new projects. AWS S3 is the better fit when your team already has AWS infrastructure with existing buckets and IAM policies, when you need CloudFront or Lambda alongside storage, or when your organization requires AWS specifically for compliance.
Once connected, the workflow is entirely chat-driven: describe the file behavior you want and Lovable generates the React components, Edge Function proxy, and error handling. Your AWS credentials never appear in frontend code.
Integration method
AWS S3 connects to Lovable as an official shared connector via Settings → Connectors, giving Lovable's AI full context to auto-generate correct S3 SDK calls and file management logic.
Prerequisites
- An active Lovable account (any paid plan or free tier with connector access)
- An AWS account with access to the S3 console at console.aws.amazon.com
- An existing S3 bucket, or permission to create one in your AWS account
- An AWS IAM user or role with s3:GetObject, s3:PutObject, s3:DeleteObject permissions on your bucket
- Your AWS Access Key ID and Secret Access Key for that IAM user
Step-by-step guide
Create an S3 Bucket and IAM Credentials in AWS
Create an S3 Bucket and IAM Credentials in AWS
Before touching Lovable, you need a configured S3 bucket and scoped AWS credentials. Log in to the AWS Console at console.aws.amazon.com and navigate to S3. Click 'Create bucket', give it a unique name (e.g., my-app-uploads-prod), and select the AWS region closest to your users. Leave 'Block all public access' enabled — Lovable uses authenticated requests, not public URLs. Next, create a dedicated IAM user. Go to IAM → Users → Create user and name it something like lovable-s3-user. On the permissions step, choose 'Attach policies directly' and create a custom policy with minimum permissions: s3:GetObject, s3:PutObject, s3:DeleteObject, and s3:ListBucket scoped to your specific bucket ARN (arn:aws:s3:::my-app-uploads-prod and arn:aws:s3:::my-app-uploads-prod/*). Avoid AmazonS3FullAccess — least-privilege limits damage if a key is compromised. Finally, go to the user's Security credentials tab and click 'Create access key'. Choose 'Application running outside AWS'. Copy the Access Key ID and Secret Access Key — the secret is shown only once. Keep these ready for the next step; you will paste them into Lovable's connector form, never into code.
Expected result: You have an S3 bucket in your chosen region, an IAM user with scoped S3 permissions, and an Access Key ID plus Secret Access Key ready to use.
Connect the AWS S3 Connector in Lovable Settings
Connect the AWS S3 Connector in Lovable Settings
Open your Lovable workspace and navigate to Settings → Connectors. This page lists all 17 available shared connectors. Scroll to the Storage section and click 'Connect' next to 'AWS S3'. Lovable opens a setup form. Enter your AWS Access Key ID, AWS Secret Access Key, your bucket's AWS region (e.g., us-east-1), and optionally a default bucket name. These values are stored as encrypted secrets in Lovable Cloud — they are never written into source code or committed to GitHub. After saving, Lovable displays a 'Connected' confirmation. The connector is now active at the workspace level and available to all projects. If you have separate dev and prod workspaces, configure the connector in each one independently. You can rotate credentials at any time via Settings → Connectors → AWS S3 → Edit.
I've connected the AWS S3 connector with my credentials. My bucket name is [YOUR_BUCKET_NAME] in region [YOUR_REGION]. Please confirm the S3 connector is available and show me what S3 operations you can now generate for my app.
Paste this in Lovable chat
Expected result: The AWS S3 connector shows a green 'Connected' status in Settings → Connectors. Lovable's AI acknowledges the connection and can describe S3 operations available for your project.
Add File Upload Functionality to Your App
Add File Upload Functionality to Your App
With the connector active, open the Lovable chat panel for your project. Describe your upload requirements in plain English — what file types, where in the UI, any size limits. Lovable generates the full implementation: a React component with a file input or drag-and-drop zone, an Edge Function in supabase/functions/ that calls the AWS S3 PutObject API server-side, and UI feedback for progress and errors. The Edge Function retrieves your AWS credentials via Deno.env.get() from Cloud Secrets — they never reach the browser. Lovable wires the frontend to call the Edge Function automatically. If files should be user-specific (each user sees only their own uploads), include that in your prompt and Lovable scopes the S3 key path by user ID.
Add a file upload feature to my app using the AWS S3 connector. Users should be able to upload image files (JPG, PNG, WebP) up to 5 MB. Show an upload progress indicator while the file is uploading, and display the uploaded image preview after success. Store files in the bucket under a path like uploads/{userId}/{filename}. Handle errors with a clear message if the upload fails.
Paste this in Lovable chat
Expected result: A working file upload component appears in your app. Selecting a file triggers an upload to your S3 bucket, a progress indicator displays during the transfer, and a preview or success confirmation appears when complete. You can verify the file arrived by checking your S3 bucket in the AWS Console.
Add File Listing and Download Functionality
Add File Listing and Download Functionality
After uploads are working, use the Lovable chat to add a file listing view and download capability. Lovable generates an Edge Function that calls the S3 ListObjectsV2 API (filtered by a user-specific prefix) and a frontend component that renders files as a list or grid with download links. For private files, request pre-signed URLs in your prompt. A pre-signed URL is a time-limited, signed URL that grants temporary read access to a specific S3 object without making the bucket public — the correct pattern for user documents, invoices, and photos. Set a short expiration (15-60 minutes) to limit exposure if a URL is accidentally shared.
Add a file manager section to my app that lists all files the current user has uploaded to S3 (under the uploads/{userId}/ prefix). Show each file's name, size, and upload date. Add a 'Download' button for each file that generates a pre-signed URL valid for 15 minutes so the user can securely download it. Also add a 'Delete' button that removes the file from S3 after confirming with the user.
Paste this in Lovable chat
Expected result: A file list component displays all files in the user's S3 prefix. Download buttons generate working pre-signed URLs that open the file in a new tab or trigger a download. Delete buttons remove files from S3 and update the list immediately.
Test Your Integration and Verify Security
Test Your Integration and Verify Security
Test the S3 integration end-to-end in Lovable's preview: upload a file, confirm it appears in the file list, download it via pre-signed URL, and delete it. Check the AWS S3 Console in parallel to verify files appear in the expected bucket paths. To verify security, open your project's Code panel or connected GitHub repo and search for your AWS Access Key ID. It must not appear anywhere — credentials should only exist as Deno.env.get() calls inside Edge Functions, with actual values in Cloud → Secrets. If you find a literal key in the code, remove it and rotate the AWS credential immediately. Also confirm your S3 bucket's Block Public Access settings remain enabled in the AWS Console. Your app accesses files via authenticated Edge Function calls and pre-signed URLs — public bucket access is not needed. For production deployments with strict compliance requirements, RapidDev's team can help review and harden your full S3 setup.
Review my S3 integration for security issues. Check that AWS credentials are only referenced via environment variables in Edge Functions and never hardcoded in frontend code. Confirm that file access uses pre-signed URLs rather than public bucket access for any user-specific files. Show me the Edge Function code that handles S3 calls so I can verify the credential handling.
Paste this in Lovable chat
Expected result: Your S3 integration works end-to-end in the live preview. No AWS credentials appear in source code — only Deno.env.get() references. Files in S3 are accessible via pre-signed URLs with appropriate expiration times.
Common use cases
Add File Upload Functionality to Your App
Use AWS S3 with Lovable to add file upload functionality to your app. This is one of the most common use cases when integrating AWS S3 into your Lovable application.
I've connected the AWS S3 connector with my credentials. My bucket name is [YOUR_BUCKET_NAME] in region [YOUR_REGION]. Please confirm the S3 connector is available and show me what S3 operations you can now generate for my app.
Copy this prompt to try it in Lovable
Add File Listing and Download Functionality
Take your AWS S3 integration further by add file listing and download functionality. This builds on the basic setup to create a more complete experience.
Add a file upload feature to my app using the AWS S3 connector. Users should be able to upload image files (JPG, PNG, WebP) up to 5 MB. Show an upload progress indicator while the file is uploading, and display the uploaded image preview after success. Store files in the bucket under a path like uploads/{userId}/{filename}. Handle errors with a clear message if the upload fails.
Copy this prompt to try it in Lovable
Test Your Integration and Verify Security
Prepare your AWS S3 integration for production by test your integration and verify security. Ensures your integration works reliably for real users.
Add a file manager section to my app that lists all files the current user has uploaded to S3 (under the uploads/{userId}/ prefix). Show each file's name, size, and upload date. Add a 'Download' button for each file that generates a pre-signed URL valid for 15 minutes so the user can securely download it. Also add a 'Delete' button that removes the file from S3 after confirming with the user.
Copy this prompt to try it in Lovable
Troubleshooting
Upload fails with 'Access Denied' or 403 error
Cause: The IAM user's policy does not include the required S3 permissions for the operation (PutObject for uploads, GetObject for downloads, DeleteObject for deletes, ListBucket for file listing), or the bucket ARN in the policy does not match the actual bucket name.
Solution: Go to AWS IAM → Users → your lovable-s3-user → Permissions and review the attached policy. Confirm the bucket ARN in the policy exactly matches your bucket name (including the /* suffix for object-level permissions). Test the permissions directly in the AWS Policy Simulator at policysim.aws.amazon.com. After updating the IAM policy, there is no need to rotate credentials — the new permissions take effect within seconds.
CORS error when uploading files from the Lovable preview
Cause: The S3 bucket's CORS policy does not allow requests from Lovable's preview domain (lovable.app or your custom domain). S3 enforces CORS at the bucket level for direct browser requests.
Solution: In the AWS S3 Console, select your bucket → Permissions tab → Cross-origin resource sharing (CORS). Add a CORS configuration that allows PUT, POST, GET, and DELETE from https://*.lovable.app and your custom domain. However, the better long-term fix is to ensure all S3 calls route through your Lovable Edge Function rather than making direct browser-to-S3 requests — this eliminates CORS entirely since Edge Functions are server-side.
Connector connected successfully but Lovable AI does not generate S3 code
Cause: The S3 connector is configured at the workspace level, but the current project may not have the connector explicitly enabled, or the Lovable chat session started before the connector was connected.
Solution: Open Settings → Connectors and confirm the AWS S3 connector shows a 'Connected' status. Then start a new chat session in your project and explicitly mention S3 in your prompt (e.g., 'using the AWS S3 connector I've configured...'). If the connector was just added, refreshing the browser before starting the chat session ensures Lovable's AI picks up the new connector context.
Best practices
- Use least-privilege IAM permissions — scope your IAM policy to the specific bucket and only the operations your app needs (PutObject, GetObject, DeleteObject, ListBucket), never AmazonS3FullAccess.
- Organize files with a user-scoped prefix pattern like uploads/{userId}/{filename} from day one — retrofitting folder structure after files accumulate is painful and may break existing URLs.
- Use pre-signed URLs for all user-facing file access rather than making buckets public — this ensures only authenticated users can access their own files and lets you expire access at any time.
- Set a short expiration on pre-signed download URLs (15-60 minutes) to limit the window during which a shared or leaked URL can be abused.
- Enable S3 server-side encryption (SSE-S3 or SSE-KMS) on your bucket for any app handling sensitive documents, medical data, or financial files — it is a one-click setting in the S3 Console under Bucket Properties.
- Rotate your AWS credentials every 90 days and update them in Lovable via Settings → Connectors → AWS S3 → Edit — do not wait for a security incident to trigger rotation.
- Keep Lovable Cloud Storage (Supabase Storage) as the default for user avatars and general app assets — reserve S3 for files that specifically need AWS infrastructure, to avoid unnecessary cross-cloud complexity.
- Enable S3 access logging on production buckets so you have an audit trail of who accessed or modified which files — configure logging in AWS S3 Console under Bucket → Properties → Server access logging.
Alternatives
The built-in default storage option for Lovable apps — powered by Supabase Storage, requires no AWS account, and is the right choice for most new projects that do not have existing AWS infrastructure.
A better fit if your users already have Dropbox accounts and you want to store and sync files in their existing Dropbox rather than a bucket they do not control.
Preferred over S3 for enterprise teams with Box contracts and compliance requirements around document management, access controls, and audit trails built into Box's platform.
Frequently asked questions
Does Lovable use AWS under the hood?
Lovable Cloud (the hosting platform) runs on infrastructure that includes AWS regions, but the Supabase services it uses — database, auth, storage, and Edge Functions — are deployed on Supabase's own managed infrastructure. When you connect the AWS S3 connector, you are connecting your own AWS account and your own S3 buckets, separate from Lovable's internal infrastructure.
Can I deploy my Lovable app to AWS?
Yes. Lovable generates a standard Vite + React + TypeScript project you can export to GitHub and deploy to AWS Amplify or S3 static hosting with CloudFront. The Supabase backend continues running on Supabase infrastructure regardless of where you host the frontend. Note this is separate from the AWS S3 storage connector, which handles file storage only.
What is the difference between AWS S3 and Lovable Cloud Storage?
Lovable Cloud Storage is built into every Lovable workspace — it uses Supabase Storage under the hood and requires no external account or configuration. AWS S3 is your own Amazon storage bucket, managed through your AWS account. For most Lovable projects, Cloud Storage is simpler and sufficient. S3 makes sense when you have existing AWS infrastructure, need AWS-specific features like S3 event notifications or direct CloudFront integration, or when your organization requires AWS for compliance reasons.
Are my AWS credentials safe when stored in Lovable?
Yes, when stored correctly. Lovable encrypts connector credentials and stores them as secrets accessible only from server-side Edge Functions via Deno.env.get() — they never appear in frontend code or browser requests. The critical rule is to never paste AWS keys directly into the Lovable chat, which would expose them in your chat history. Always use the Settings → Connectors form or Cloud → Secrets panel to store credentials.
Can I use multiple S3 buckets in the same Lovable project?
Yes. The connector sets a default bucket, but you can reference any bucket your IAM user can access in your chat prompts. Specify bucket names explicitly: 'Store user uploads in my-app-uploads and export reports in my-app-exports.' Lovable generates code that routes each operation to the correct bucket.
Does the S3 connector work in Lovable's preview or only in production?
The S3 connector works in both Lovable's preview environment and in your deployed app, because file operations route through Edge Functions rather than direct browser API calls. Edge Functions run server-side and can access your stored AWS credentials in both preview and production modes. This is different from Stripe, which only works in deployed mode — S3 has no such restriction.
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