How to use Sync CloudFiles (Beta)

Note: Sync CloudFiles is currently in beta.

For macOS Ventura, 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.

Sync Pro customers can download the latest beta desktop app for Windows 10, 11 or macOS 10.15+ here:
Beta Download

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.

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

To open or edit a file that is set to cloud-only, you’ll need to set it back to local first. You can easily control which files and folders are stored in the cloud-only and which are stored locally on your computer, and you can change these setting per file or folder anytime.

Enabling Sync CloudFiles

To use Sync CloudFiles you first have to enable the feature from the Sync desktop app settings. To do so:

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.

Setting a file or folder to cloud-only or local

To set a file or folder to cloud-only, using Sync CloudFiles:

Open File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac).
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.

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 which no longer sync locally in your Sync folder. However, to free up space, those folders no longer appear in the Sync folder on your computer. Selective Sync also does not provide file level granularity.

Minimum system requirements

macOS 10.15+, Windows 10+

Get help

How to use Sync CloudFiles (Beta)

Company

Products

Resources

Industry

Uses