How Can I Sync PC Files and Folders on Windows?

Sync, short for synchronize, means to make data (files, emails, notes, documents, etc.) always consistent across two or more devices. During this process, your files are automatically updated via certain rules across devices, such as deleting files/folders, adding new files/folders, renaming files/folders, etc.

Different from PC backup software, which allows you to restore backups when files are lost or corrupted, PC sync software allows you to synchronize data across computers, tablets, and mobile phones, and access files anywhere, anytime. So how can I sync computer files and folders? What is the best PC sync software? Keep reading to get a clear answer.

Top 5 Best PC Sync Software for Windows

After testing many PC sync software, we bring you the top 5 best free PC sync software for Windows here. To help you understand each product faster, we have listed their essential pros and cons, hoping to help you quickly determine the best free sync software for Windows 10/11 that suits your needs most.

Google Drive

Google Drive tops our list of the best local file sync software on Windows, as it combines excellent syncing features with a virtual hard drive to store and upload files from computer easily. In addition to PC file synchronization, Google Drive also supports automatic sync external drives to Google Drive. Whether you are a business user or a personal user, Google Drive provides you with document storage, editing, sharing, and other powerful functions.

Despite some privacy concerns, Google Drive is preferred by many people for its wide integration with Google's works apps like Docs, Sheets, Slides, Gmail, etc., and third-party tools like Slack, Trello, Evernote, etc.

Pros

• Easy to use
• Suitable for all platforms (PC, phone, tablet, and web)
• Generous 15GB of free cloud storage
• Excellent for file collaboration
• Google Workspace and plenty of third-party apps integration

Cons

• Data security concerns
• No block-level sync (slow sync)

OneDrive

If you use Office tools such as Word and Excel, OneNote, Outlook, and Skype, OneDrive should be your best PC sync software, since these services are integrated into OneDrive. Besides, the OneDrive sync client already comes pre-installed on Windows 10/11 PCs, allowing users to sync and access files through File Explorer easily.

After sync, you are allowed to access synced files anywhere with an Internet-connected mobile phone or computer. In terms of data security, OneDrive offers a Personal Vault folder to save files with additional verification, preventing unauthorized access, but it is limited to three files for free users.

Pros:

• Integration with Office 365
• Real-time document collaboration
• Important PC folder backups (including Documents, Pictures, and Desktop)
• Fast upload and download

Cons:

• Limited features for free users
• Privacy concerns

Dropbox

Dropbox is one of the best backup and sync software for Windows that supports block-level synchronization, keeping edited documents up-to-date on all devices by only processing new edits for each change. On its desktop app, Dropbox selective sync and smart sync are provided to keep files online only, so as to save your local space.

Working with the Dropbox sync folder, you can upload, access, and manage all online files with ease. However, Dropbox is not a zero-knowledge cloud storage service, which makes file access from other users and applications easy.

Pros:

• Block-level file transfer
• Easy file sharing with passwords and expiry dates
• Offer Dropbox Paper to create notes and collaborate with others
• Provide Dropbox Rewind to restore old versions of files

Cons:

• Only 2GB of free storage
• A little expensive

Sync.com

Compared with the previous three, Sync.com may not be well-known. But it is crowned in our list of the best folder sync software for Windows 10/11 because of its ease of use and high security. It enables users to sync files on computer and access them on mobile devices. And it offers excellent security and privacy with its end-to-end encrypted network.

But this tool lacks features for file collaboration, and it does not offer a preview function, which means you download files to view them.

Pros:

• End-to-end encryption with AES-256 and TLS
• Unlimited file size
• Unlimited version control
• 5GB of free cloud storage

Cons:

• No integration with third-party apps
• No monthly billing plans
• Limited sync folder options
• Slow upload speed

CBackup

As a comprehensive free cloud backup and sync service, CBackup is designed to sync files to Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, and multiple public clouds. This free backup and sync software for Windows 10/11 also comes with a Backup feature that helps you to use Dropbox as backup software, as well as other clouds, for data restoration.

Offering flexible schedule modes, this tool lets you sync computer files and external hard drive files to cloud in daily, weekly, and monthly. It is one of the fastest sync software for Windows PCs, as it has no limitations on file upload speed. Besides, it provides other powerful functions such as Cloud to Cloud Sync/Backup, Combine Clouds, File Filter, Email Notification, and so on.

Pros:

• 50GB of free data traffic per month and 10GB of free CBackup Cloud backup space
• Based on OAuth authorization system
• Use 256-bit AES encryption in data transfer
• Fast sync speed
• Affordable prices for common users

Cons:

• No mobile app

How to Perform PC Sync using CBackup

If you are wondering how to perform PC sync on Windows, please go on with the following guide to synchronize Windows PCs to Google Drive and other mainstream clouds using the best PC sync software CBackup without a hitch.

Step 1. Download and run the CBackup desktop app on your Windows computer.

Step 2. Sign up for a CBackup account and log in to the desktop app. Then, head to the Storage tab, choose a cloud drive, and finish the authorization to add it to this tool.

Step 3. Select Sync and then Sync PC to Public Cloud to create a new sync task.

Step 4. Pick files, folders, or all hard drives under Source. Then, choose a folder on the added cloud under Destination. After that, tap on Start Sync to initiate a PC sync task now.

If you want to set up auto sync for PC files, click Settings and specify a sync schedule under Scheduler before you start a sync task.

The Verdict

If you are looking for the best PC sync software, you can choose one from the top 5 list in this article. We highly recommend you try CBackup, which can help you sync computer files to Google Drive and multiple cloud drives on a single interface.