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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteFor two folders on the same Windows PC, use FreeFileSync to choose how changes should flow, then use its RealTimeSync companion to monitor the folders and run the saved sync job. It is automatic and near-real-time, not an instant mirror: RealTimeSync waits for detected changes to settle for a configurable idle period before starting the job.
Choose the right kind of sync
Decide what should happen when files are added, edited, or deleted before setting up automation. FreeFileSync offers three relevant modes:
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- Two way: Changes on either side can flow to the other. FreeFileSync uses a database created during the first sync to infer which side changed.
- Mirror: The right-hand folder becomes an exact copy of the left-hand folder. Deletions on the left can therefore delete matching files on the right.
- Update: New and updated files are copied to the target, but removing a source file does not remove its target copy.
These modes are not interchangeable. If you are unsure what a mode will do, first test it with noncritical sample folders. Review the comparison results before applying a sync, especially when using Mirror. FreeFileSync’s synchronization settings manual explains the modes and their behavior. In Two way mode, moved-file detection depends on stable file IDs and is unavailable during the first sync.
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Set up automatic syncing between local folders
- Choose the folder pair. Identify the left and right paths. For a one-way copy or mirror, decide which folder is the source and which is the target.
- Configure FreeFileSync. Select the two folders, compare them, choose Two way, Mirror, or Update, and inspect the proposed actions before applying them.
- Save a batch job. Save the folder-pair configuration as a batch job so RealTimeSync can run the selected synchronization task.
- Open the job in RealTimeSync. Import or open the saved batch job, select the folder or folders to monitor, and set an idle time long enough for applications to finish writing files.
- Start monitoring and verify the result. RealTimeSync runs the configured command after it detects changes and the idle interval passes. Check the destination folder and the application’s status to confirm the expected files arrived.
The RealTimeSync manual describes batch-job monitoring and how the idle interval works.
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What “real time” means—and where it can fall short
RealTimeSync responds to operating-system notifications about files or folders being created, updated, or deleted. After the last detected change, it waits for the configured quiet period and then runs the command. That makes synchronization automatic, but it does not guarantee zero-delay replication.
Some network paths or drivers may have incomplete or faulty change-notification support, so RealTimeSync may not be told when files change there. The manual also notes that monitoring is temporarily inactive while the command runs. If multiple changes occur together, an environment variable may contain only the first changed path; it should not be treated as a complete event log. If a watched network location appears to miss changes, check its notification support and verify the destination rather than assuming every event was detected.
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Pick a different tool when the folders are not both local
| Your situation | Better-fitting option | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Two folders on one PC that should copy automatically | FreeFileSync plus RealTimeSync | Automates a local folder pair; choose Two way, Mirror, or Update deliberately. |
| Files should be available from Windows and other devices through cloud storage | OneDrive | Syncs content in the OneDrive folder, or in folders covered by a supported folder-backup feature. Microsoft’s setup guide does not describe arbitrary local folder pairs. Files On-Demand can leave some files online-only. See Microsoft’s OneDrive sync guide and work-file guidance. |
| A work-managed directory must sync with an employer’s server | Work Folders | An organization provisions and manages it; it is not a general-purpose personal folder-pair tool. See Microsoft’s Work Folders FAQ. |
| A folder should synchronize between separate devices | Syncthing | Devices are configured using device IDs and shared folders. Follow the official Getting Started guide. |
Syncing is not the same as keeping a backup
Synchronization propagates changes; it does not by itself preserve an independent, versioned copy. A Mirror job can reproduce an unwanted deletion on the target. If you need recovery from accidental deletion or unwanted edits, keep a separate backup with its own retention or version history rather than relying on a synchronized folder alone.
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