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How to Transfer Files from a Synology NAS to a USB Drive

Use Synology USB Copy to export NAS folders to USB. Choose a copy mode, check drive and DSM compatibility, and eject the device safely.
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Use Synology’s USB Copy package to export files from a NAS to an attached USB drive: create a Data Export task, select the NAS folders and copy mode, then run it. Choose multi-versioned for dated snapshots, mirroring to keep the destination aligned with the source, or incremental for new and changed files. Eject the drive in DSM before unplugging it.

Before you connect or format a USB drive

Check your NAS model’s USB-port and file-system support, and note its DSM version. Synology lists FAT32, NTFS, ext3, ext4, and exFAT among formats recognized by USB Copy, but support varies by model; HFS+ support also varies and may be read-only. See Synology’s USB Copy documentation and file-system guidance for your device.

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  • Choose an external USB hard drive, USB external SSD, or flash drive with enough usable space for the folders you plan to export.
  • Check the physical connector and file-system compatibility for the NAS and for any computer that must read the drive directly.
  • Do not format a drive casually: formatting deletes its data. Synology notes that an ext4-formatted external drive is recognized only by Synology NAS devices, so confirm cross-platform needs before choosing it.

Check exFAT against your DSM version

Synology’s exFAT instructions, last updated November 4, 2025, distinguish releases: DSM 7.3 and later includes exFAT support by default; DSM 7.0 through 7.2.2 requires the exFAT Access package; DSM 6.2.4 and earlier follows a separate licensing path. Consult Synology’s external-storage guidance for the exact release installed on your NAS.

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Create and run a USB Copy Data Export task

  1. Sign in with an administrator account or an account in the administrators group. Synology restricts access to USB Copy to these users.
  2. Connect the USB or SD storage device to the NAS.
  3. Open USB Copy, select Create, then choose Data Export.
  4. Select the source folders on the NAS and the destination on the attached device. DSM presents connected USB storage as a system-created shared folder named usbshare[number].
  5. Choose a copy mode, then set any file-conflict policy and filters you need. USB Copy filters can match a full filename or an extension.
  6. Start the task manually, set it to run when the matching device is plugged in, or schedule it. You can enable automatic ejection when a task finishes.
  7. Review the task status or summary in USB Copy. Open representative files on the destination drive to confirm the expected folders and contents are present before relying on the export.

Choose the right copy mode

Mode What it does Choose it when
Multi-versioned Creates a dated folder for each run and copies all source files. Rotation settings can remove older versions. You want separate export snapshots from different runs.
Mirroring Applies source changes so the destination folder is a complete mirror of the source. You want the destination to track the source rather than accumulate dated copies.
Incremental Copies newly added and modified source files. You want repeat exports to carry forward additions and changes without copying everything each time.

USB Copy’s Photo/Video Import task is for importing media onto the NAS, not exporting NAS files to USB; it runs only in incremental mode and organizes imported items by modification date.

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Hardware Copy button: only on some NAS models

Some NAS models have a physical Copy button associated with the front USB port. According to Synology’s USB Copy documentation, that workflow supports only multi-versioned mode and does not work with USB or SD devices that contain multiple disk partitions. Do not assume your NAS has this button.

Resolve common problems

The drive is not recognized

Check the NAS model’s supported formats and the drive’s current file system. DSM may offer to format an unrecognized drive, but formatting erases its contents. Use the model-specific compatibility information before proceeding.

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exFAT is unavailable

Check the DSM release and follow the matching exFAT instructions: default support for DSM 7.3 and later, exFAT Access for DSM 7.0–7.2.2, and the separate licensing path for DSM 6.2.4 and earlier.

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Files are missing, renamed, or overwritten

Review USB Copy’s filters and naming restrictions. Synology lists certain metadata, recycle-bin, and system entries that must not be present. With FAT32 or exFAT destinations, characters invalid in those formats may be replaced during automatic renaming; different original names can normalize to the same name and overwrite one another. Check the destination for collisions when copying files with unusual names.

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For Mac metadata or filename changes, Synology’s File Station copy/move documentation notes that copying or moving to a FAT directory can replace some characters and delete Mac file metadata.

The USB Copy task or controls are unavailable

Confirm you are signed in as an administrator or as a member of the administrators group. Only those users can access USB Copy.

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A scheduled run does not happen

Leave the device connected and mounted until future scheduled runs are complete. If you enable eject-after-completion, the drive may no longer be available for the next scheduled run.

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You need to copy through File Station instead

File Station has copy and move functions, but its documented workflow covers file management and transfers within a NAS or between NAS and browser contexts. It is not the primary method for exporting to attached USB storage. For very large browser transfers, Synology says browser drag-and-drop limits vary; Safari’s stated limit is 1 GB. See its File Station guidance for supported file protocols and limitations.

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Eject the drive safely

Use DSM’s eject action before physically disconnecting the USB drive; Synology’s external-storage instructions describe safe removal. USB Copy can eject the device automatically after a task, but leave it mounted if another scheduled run is still due.

USB Copy or Hyper Backup?

USB Copy is suited to exporting ordinary files that you want to browse on the destination. It does not back up applications or system configuration. Synology identifies Hyper Backup as the broader option for those backup needs; its backup counterpart is not described as directly readable in the same way as files exported through USB Copy. See Synology’s USB Copy documentation and Hyper Backup documentation.

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