Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about SynciZen — features, pricing, safety, and more.

General & Accounts

What cloud storage providers does SynciZen support?
SynciZen supports over 15 providers natively, including Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Proton Drive, Box, pCloud, Mega, Yandex Disk, Amazon S3, Cloudflare R2, Wasabi, Backblaze B2, Azure Blob Storage, SFTP, WebDAV — and essentially any provider supported by rclone.
Where should I report bugs, request features, or suggest improvements?
Please submit a ticket in the SynciZen community repository. That repository is the central place for issues, requests, bugs, improvements, and other feedback to be reviewed and replied to.
How many accounts can I connect, and is there a per-account fee?
You can connect an unlimited number of accounts across any combination of providers — completely free of charge. SynciZen charges zero per-account licensing fees. Add as many Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, and S3 accounts as your workflow needs; your license covers all of them.
Can I sync multiple folders on the same account?
Yes. You can create multiple independent "Sync Pairs" on a single cloud account, mapping different remote folders to different local folders entirely independently. There is no limit on how many sync pairs you can create.
What platforms does SynciZen run on?
SynciZen runs natively on macOS (10.15 Catalina and later), Windows (Windows 10 and later), and Linux (GTK 3 with WebKitGTK 6.0+). Native installers are available for each platform: .dmg/.app for macOS, .msi/NSIS for Windows, and AppImage/.deb/.rpm for Linux.

Syncing & File Management

What sync modes are available?
SynciZen supports both Bidirectional (Two-Way) Sync and One-Way Sync. For one-way syncs, you choose exactly how deletions are handled:
  • Archive (Default/Safest): Moves deleted files to a local trash folder instead of permanently deleting them.
  • Mirror: Makes the remote exactly match the local folder, with permanent deletions.
  • Add-Only: Syncs new and updated files only — never deletes anything. Ideal for archival use.
Does SynciZen sync changes in real-time?
Yes. SynciZen includes a real-time file watcher powered by your OS's native filesystem events (FSEvents on macOS, inotify on Linux, ReadDirectoryChangesW on Windows). When you modify a file locally, SynciZen detects it and triggers a sync after a configurable debounce delay — no polling required. You can also set periodic sync intervals per sync pair.
What happens if I edit a file locally and in the cloud at the same time?
SynciZen's sync engine checks for conflicts before any data is overwritten. If a file has changed on both sides since the last sync, it's quarantined and you're shown a side-by-side comparison (size, modification time, and hash). You then choose: Keep Local, Keep Remote, Keep Both (renames one copy), or Newest (auto-picks by modification time). No silent overwrites.
What files are ignored by default?
SynciZen ships with 100+ built-in ignore patterns covering common clutter: .git, node_modules, .DS_Store, Thumbs.db, __pycache__, system temporary files, IDE metadata, build artifacts, and more. You can also add your own glob patterns in Settings. The Dry-Run Preview always shows how many files were skipped so you know exactly what was excluded.

Safety & Reliability

How does SynciZen protect me from accidental mass deletions?
SynciZen features an industry-leading Three-Layer Safety System:
  1. Dry-Run Preview: Before any sync executes, you see a complete, itemized plan — every file to be created, updated, or deleted, with counts and sizes.
  2. Max-Deletion Guard: If a sync attempts to delete more than a configurable threshold (default: 50 files), the sync is automatically blocked until you explicitly approve it.
  3. Local Trash: Deleted files are moved to a recoverable .syncizen-trash folder on your computer (retained 30 days by default) instead of being permanently destroyed.
Can I undo a sync if I make a mistake?
Yes. Because SynciZen journals every operation before executing it and keeps deleted files in a local trash folder, you can click Undo to completely reverse your most recent sync batch — restoring files from trash and reversing any changes that were part of that batch.
What happens if my computer crashes or loses power mid-sync?
SynciZen uses a Write-Ahead Journal powered by SQLite. Every file transfer is recorded before it starts. If your computer crashes mid-sync, SynciZen detects the incomplete batch on next launch and allows you to safely recover or roll it back — leaving your files in a known, consistent state.

App Features & UI

What is the "Dry-Run Preview"?
Before SynciZen moves or deletes any files, it performs a simulated scan and shows you a complete, itemized preview: how many files will be created, updated, or deleted, their combined size, and any conflicts flagged. You review and confirm — then sync proceeds. Nothing moves until you say so.
What does the "Max-Deletion Guard" do?
It's a safety net against accidental bulk-deletes. If a sync would delete more files than your configured limit (default: 50), the app pauses and asks for explicit permission before proceeding. This prevents a small mistake on one device from cascading and wiping your cloud storage.
How does conflict resolution work?
When a file has changed on both sides before the app could sync, SynciZen detects a conflict and pauses rather than silently overwriting. You decide:
  • Keep Local: Your local copy wins.
  • Keep Remote: The cloud copy wins.
  • Keep Both: Both versions are kept — one is renamed with a suffix so nothing is lost.
  • Newest: Automatically picks the copy with the most recent modification time.
What's the difference between "Fast" and "Safe" Change Detection?
Fast Mode uses file modification timestamps to decide what needs syncing. It's extremely fast and sufficient for most everyday use. Safe Mode goes further — it computes a cryptographic hash (BLAKE3 or xxHash) of each file and compares them. It catches changes even when timestamps are unreliable (e.g., after a filesystem migration), at the cost of slightly more CPU during the check phase.

What Makes SynciZen Different

What makes SynciZen stand out from other sync apps?
Most sync apps operate silently in the background and give you little insight into what they're doing. SynciZen is built on the opposite philosophy: every sync is transparent, every mistake is reversible, and you're always in control. That means Dry-Run previews before anything runs, a Write-Ahead Journal that survives crashes, a local trash so deletions are never permanent, and a real Undo button — features most sync tools don't have at all.
What is the "Write-Ahead Journal" and why does it matter?
The Write-Ahead Journal is a SQLite-based log where SynciZen records every planned file operation before executing it. If the app — or your entire computer — crashes mid-sync, SynciZen reads the journal on the next launch, determines exactly where it left off, and recovers the incomplete batch cleanly. No guessing, no corrupted state.
Does it really have an "Undo" button for syncs?
Yes — a real one. Because of the Write-Ahead Journal and the local trash bin, SynciZen can literally reverse its most recent sync batch: it restores files from trash, re-deletes files that were uploaded, and returns everything to the exact state it was in before that sync ran.

Performance & Architecture

Will SynciZen slow down my computer or drain my laptop battery?
No. SynciZen is built with a native Rust backend and the lightweight Tauri framework — not Electron or Python. Idle RAM usage is approximately ~70 MB (vs. 150–250 MB for Electron-based alternatives). Background threads run at low OS scheduling priority, engineered specifically to minimize CPU usage and battery impact during idle periods.
Does SynciZen work on servers or via the command line?
Yes. SynciZen includes a full CLI with complete feature parity: list accounts, create sync pairs, trigger syncs, check status, and manage all settings — entirely from the terminal. You can also run it as a headless daemon, making it suitable for Linux servers, NAS devices, automated scripts, and CI/CD pipelines.
Is SynciZen secure?
Absolutely. Cloud credentials are stored in your operating system's native secure keyring (macOS Keychain, Windows Credential Manager, Linux Secret Service) — never in plaintext config files. Authentication uses browser-based OAuth flows, so SynciZen never sees your passwords. The underlying sync engine is rclone, a battle-tested open-source tool trusted by millions for mission-critical backups.

Pricing & Licensing

Is there a free version of SynciZen?
SynciZen does not offer a permanent free tier, but it does offer a 15-day free trial with every feature included — no credit card required. You can evaluate all sync modes, safety features, multi-cloud support, and the CLI before making a decision.
How does the free trial work?
The 15-day trial starts automatically on first launch. All features are fully available for the entire trial period — there are no artificial restrictions or paywalled features. Once the trial ends, a license is required to continue using the software.
What does the Lifetime License include?
The Lifetime License is a one-time purchase with no subscriptions, no renewals, and no recurring fees. It covers unlimited cloud accounts across all 15+ supported providers, unlimited sync pairs, all current features, and updates released for the current major version. You own that version forever.
Can my plan be adjusted to fit my specific needs?
Absolutely. If the standard Lifetime License doesn't quite fit your workflow — whether you need a different device count, a volume arrangement, or something else — contact our team and we'll work something out.
What is the refund policy?
We offer a 30-day money-back guarantee on all purchases — no questions asked. EU and UK consumers also benefit from statutory cooling-off rights. Full details are in the Refund Policy.