How to use Sync CloudFiles
Sync CloudFiles is a desktop app feature that allows you to set files and folders to cloud-only, saving hard drive space on your computer. Sync CloudFiles is available on any Sync Pro (premium) plan.
Sync CloudFiles settings are unique to each computer you install Sync on, and won’t affect other computers you (or team shared folder members) use with Sync.
Minimum system requirements
macOS 11+
Windows 10 version 1709 build 16299+
Attention Windows users:
Sync CloudFiles for Windows is now out of Beta! Get the production build here: https://www.sync.com/install/
Attention Mac users:
If you are prompted for Full Disk Access, click on the Sync icon with the grey square, and then click on the minus icon below. The Sync option will briefly disappear then reappear. When it reappears with the option unselected, select the Sync option for Full Disk Access.
Download:
Note: CloudFiles requires Sync Pro.
Get CloudFiles for Windows here: Download
Get CloudFiles for Mac (Beta) here: Download
What is Sync CloudFiles?
If you have not enabled Sync CloudFiles, the files and folders in your Sync folder take up space on your computer’s hard drive. This means your files are stored both locally on your computer and stored in the cloud.
When you set a file or folder to cloud-only, you’ll still see the file or folder in your Sync folder on your computer, but it’s just a placeholder. Sync stores the actual file in the cloud-only, which saves space on your computer.
Note:
Files set to cloud-only cannot be opened on your computer when you are offline. You need an Internet connection to open or edit cloud-only files.
Opening and editing cloud-only files
On Windows: If a file is set to cloud-only, double-clicking the file in the Windows File Explorer will automatically download it from the cloud and open it.
On Mac: To open or edit a file that is set to cloud-only, you’ll first need to set it back to local.
Enabling Sync CloudFiles
You will be prompted during installation to enable CloudFiles, but if you skipped this step, here’s how to enable Sync CloudFiles from the Sync desktop app settings:
- Click the Sync icon on the Windows system tray or the Mac menu bar.
- Click the Settings icon.
- Click Preferences.
- Under the Options tab click the Enable CloudFiles button.
- If CloudFiles is already enabled select the CloudFiles Default Behaviour.
- Local: Files added on the web or synced from other devices will be saved locally on your computer, taking up space.
- Cloud-only: Files added on the web or synced from other devices will be visible on your computer, but won’t take up space.
To disable CloudFiles, simply uncheck the Enable CloudFiles button. This will automatically set all your files to local.
Setting a file or folder to cloud-only or local
To set a file or folder to cloud-only using Sync CloudFiles:
For Windows:
- Open File Explorer.
- Open your Sync folder.
- Right-click the file or folder you’d like to set to cloud-only.
- Click Free up space.
- To save your file or folder back to your computer, click Always keep on this device.
For Mac:
- Open Finder.
- Open your Sync folder.
- Right-click the file or folder you’d like to set to cloud-only.
- Click Set cloud-only.
- To save your file back to your computer, click Set Local.
Set files added on the web or synced from other devices to cloud-only by default
To make all files and folders that you add on the web or on other computers and devices cloud-only by default:
- Click the Sync icon on the Windows system tray or the Mac menu bar.
- Click the Settings icon.
- Click Preferences.
- From the CloudFiles Default Behaviour select Cloud-only.
Files added on the web or synced from other devices will be visible on your computer, but won’t take up space.
Windows CloudFiles overlay icons:
Blue cloud or cloud with arrow icon – a blue cloud or a cloud with an arrow icon next to your Sync files or folders indicates that the file is only available online. Online-only files don’t take up space on your computer, and can only be opened when your device is connected to the Internet.
Outlined green check icon – when you open an online-only file, it downloads to your device and becomes a locally available file. You can open the file anytime, even without Internet access. If you need more space, you can change the file back to online only. Just right-click the file and select “Free up space.”
Solid green check icon – files that you mark as “Always keep on this device” have a solid green circle. These always available files download to your device and take up space, and can be opened even when you’re offline.
Sync CloudFiles vs. Sync Vault
Sync Vault also helps you save hard drive space by storing files and folders in a cloud-only storage space. However, those files and folders no longer appear in the Sync folder on your computer and no longer sync to other computers or team shared folder members.
Sync CloudFiles vs. selective sync
Selective sync helps you save hard drive space by selecting folders to no longer sync locally, thus, they don’t appear in your Sync folder. It is not file-level granular. Read more here. Selective sync is not available on CloudFiles version 5.0 or higher.