Importing via Share Extension

The Share Extension lets you send files directly to BitDek from the Files app or any app that supports iOS sharing. Select your music, tap Share, choose BitDek, and the import happens automatically.

Overview

The share extension workflow:

1. Select files in another app (usually Files)
2. Tap the Share button
3. Choose BitDek from the share sheet
4. BitDek launches and imports your selection

This method works with any cloud provider, making it the solution for Google Drive, OneDrive, and other services that don’t support folder selection in BitDek’s source picker.

Sharing from the Files App

Step by Step

1. Open the Files app on your device
2. Navigate to your music files (any location: iCloud, Google Drive, local, etc.)
3. Tap Select in the top right
4. Tap the files or folders you want to import
5. Tap the Share button (square with arrow)
6. Find and tap BitDek in the share sheet

What Happens Next

After you tap BitDek:

1. A brief dialog appears: “Preparing files for BitDek…”
2. The extension processes your selection
3. BitDek opens automatically
4. Import begins immediately

You don’t need to tap anything in BitDek. The import starts as soon as the app opens.

Selecting Multiple Items

You can select:

• Multiple individual files - Tap each file while in Select mode
• Entire folders - Tap a folder to include all its contents
• Mix of files and folders - Combine as needed

The extension scans folders recursively, finding all audio files inside.

The Google Drive Workaround

Google Drive, OneDrive, and Box don’t allow their folders to be added as sources in BitDek (an iOS platform limitation). The share extension bypasses this entirely.

To import from Google Drive:

1. Open Files app
2. Navigate to Google Drive in the sidebar
3. Find your music folder
4. Select the files or folder
5. Share to BitDek

The Files app can access Google Drive’s contents for sharing even though BitDek can’t bookmark Google Drive folders directly.

This same approach works for OneDrive, Box, and any other cloud provider visible in the Files app.

Sharing from Other Apps

Any app that uses iOS’s standard share sheet can send files to BitDek.

Common scenarios:

• Safari - Download an audio file, share it to BitDek
• Mail - Share an audio attachment
• Dropbox app - Share files directly from Dropbox’s own app
• Google Drive app - Share files from the Google Drive app

The process is similar: find the Share button in that app, tap it, choose BitDek.

What Gets Imported

The extension looks for audio files:

• FLAC, ALAC, MP3, AAC, M4A, WAV, AIFF, OGG

It also collects image files for artwork:

• JPG, JPEG, PNG

Other file types are ignored.

When you share a folder, the extension scans it recursively. Subfolders are included. The folder structure helps BitDek associate artwork images with the correct albums.

Import Progress and Results

After BitDek launches:

1. The Import Music screen shows progress
2. Files are processed (metadata extraction, artwork handling)
3. Results appear in the Import Summary section

If you shared cloud-stored files, they download first. Progress reflects both download and import stages.

Tips for Best Results

Include Artwork

If your music folders contain cover images (cover.jpg, folder.png, etc.), select those along with your audio files. BitDek uses them for album artwork when embedded artwork isn’t available.

Batch Your Imports

You can select large numbers of files at once. The extension handles them in a single batch. This is more efficient than multiple small shares.

Folder Selection for Albums

When sharing an album, select the entire album folder rather than individual tracks. This ensures:

• All tracks import together
• Folder artwork is included
• Album grouping works correctly

Cloud File Considerations

Files stored in cloud services must download before importing. For large collections from Google Drive or similar, consider:

• Sharing smaller batches to avoid long waits
• Using WiFi Transfer instead for very large collections
• Downloading to local storage first, then sharing from there

Limitations

No Selective Import

Unlike source folders, you can’t browse and selectively choose files after sharing. Whatever you select in the Files app (or other app) is what gets imported.

If you share more than you intended, you can delete unwanted tracks from your BitDek library afterward.

One-Time Access

The share extension doesn’t create a bookmark. Each import is independent. To import more files later, you share them again.

For repeated imports from the same location, consider adding a source folder (if the provider supports it) or using WiFi Transfer.

Processing Time

The “Preparing files for BitDek…” dialog may take several seconds for large selections. The extension is collecting file references and creating bookmarks. Let it complete before the handoff to BitDek.

Troubleshooting

BitDek Doesn’t Appear in Share Sheet

If BitDek isn’t in your share options:

1. Scroll right in the share sheet to find it
2. Or tap “More” and look in the full app list
3. Make sure BitDek is installed and not in a folder/hidden

You may need to scroll horizontally in the share sheet, as apps appear in a row.

Nothing Happens After Sharing

If the extension dialog appears but BitDek doesn’t launch:

1. Wait a moment. Large selections take time to process
2. If still stuck, cancel and try with fewer files
3. Check that BitDek isn’t already open in an error state

Import Fails or Partially Completes

If some files fail to import:

1. Check the Import Summary for issue details
2. Cloud files may have failed to download (network issues)
3. Some files may be duplicates of existing tracks (skipped intentionally)
4. Unsupported file formats are ignored

Comparison with Other Methods

Feature	Share Extension	Source Folders	WiFi Transfer
Works with Google Drive	Yes	No	Yes
Selective browsing	No (pre-select in Files)	Yes	Yes
Reusable bookmark	No	Yes	No
Best for	Quick imports, unsupported clouds	Organized collections	Large transfers

Related Guides

• Importing via Source Folders - For providers that support folder selection
• Importing via WiFi Transfer - Transfer from your computer
• Cloud Storage Providers - Provider compatibility details