How to sync folders in Windows with SyncFolders
When it comes to backing up our most important files, there are several techniques we can choose. The less practical, manually copy the folder from the source to the destination, the more professional, opting for professional backup tools that create our own conditioner and allow us to create incremental copies and, an intermediate option, and the most convenient for domestic use, synchronize data from two folders so that we have the same data in both cases at all times.
Unlike professional backup tools, like the FBackup tool analyzed in RedesZone, the tools that allow us to synchronize directories are very handy if we need to have the data in both directories and be able to access it interchangeably. For example, if we have a folder with works on our computer and we still need to make the changes to a USB stick, what we need is the data to be the same on our computer and in memory, without copying a file from a backup. , usually compressed, which does not allow us free access to the data.
There are several applications developed to synchronize two or more folders on a computer. One of the ones we liked the most is Sync Folders .
SyncFolders is one of the simplest tools for synchronizing files and folders in different directories. Among his main characteristics, we can highlight:
- Supports synchronization in two directions (source <–> destination).
- It allows to synchronize individual files and complete folders, these are their corresponding subfolders.
- It records all changes in its own registry and informs us of any conflicts that may have existed.
- It allows you to simulate a copy and choose the files you want to overwrite or not.
- Easy to use interface.
- Completely free, ad-free and portable. It has no limitations, neither in use nor in files.
How SyncFolders works
To use this tool, the first thing to do is to download from its main website . As we said, the app is completely free and ad-free. Additionally, we can choose to download the conventional installer or the portable version.
Once we have the program ready, we run it and we will see a window like the following one.
The first thing to do is to create a new task. To do this, click on the button " Create a rule »And a window will open with the task creation wizard.
In this, the elements that we need to configure are:
- Source folder : the source folder containing the data to copy.
- Target folder : the destination folder where the data will be copied.
- Description: A personal description of what the task does.
- Action: The type of copy we are going to make:
- Copy: Changes from the source folder are replicated to the destination folder.
- Save: similar to copying, but with additional functions such as change log and data that no longer exists in the source folder will be erased from the destination.
- Synchronize: all new or modified files are copied from source to destination and vice versa. It has a more comprehensive record of file changes and deletions.
In addition, in this wizard we will also be able to configure a series of filters, the possibility of comparing files and choosing the appropriate option in case of conflict, configure a versioning (to be able to recover data deleted by mistake) and configure a series. advanced options, such as data integrity checking.
Once our backup is set up, we'll see how it appears in the list.
We already have our homework ready. If we click on the button " Scan » , the program will automatically simulate the copying process. This will save all the changes made to the destination folder, and if we show the detailed information of the process, we will be able to see everything that will happen if we run the task.
If we agree with this, we will click on the button " Synchronize To synchronize the two directories according to the specified rules.
Ready. We already have our folders synchronized thanks to SyncFolders. However, so far the task has to be done manually, so for this we will set up a program schedule.
How to schedule folder synchronizations with SyncFolders
Although some users prefer to perform synchronizations by hand, many like to delegate this task to the operating system itself so that they don't have to worry about performing this task.
To do this, once the task is created, we click on the task scheduling button to open the wizard.
A new wizard will open from which we need to configure the schedule of tasks. In the tab " General “, We need to configure only the name we want to give to the task and the description.
The important thing about the wizard is in the second tab, " Triggers Or launchers which will be the events that will run the synchronization. In this way, for example, we can make the task run on login, once a day at a certain time, once a week, every X times, etc.
Once the launcher is configured, the sync task will be created directly in Windows Scheduled Tasks, so even if we don't have the program open, whenever the time is right, it will run in the background and the specified task will be executed.
As we can see, SyncFolders is a simple yet very comprehensive folder for performing personal backups by means of directory synchronization, something much more convenient at home level, as they say, than professional backup tools. .
What do you think of SyncFolders? Do you know of other similar tools?
