Need to export your Sync data? The process differs depending on whether you’re backing up your own account or managing a Teams account. In this article, we'll address the following:
Downloading your files with the Sync desktop app:
Recommended for large data sets
If you need to download a large amount of data from Sync, such as multiple terabytes, we recommend using the Sync CloudFiles app for Windows or Mac.
The CloudFiles app lets you see your Sync files in Windows File Explorer or Mac Finder without downloading everything right away. This is useful when your computer does not have enough local storage for the full data set.
You can download files and folders in smaller batches, copy them to another drive, and then free up space before downloading the next batch.
Note for Mac users:
For very large downloads, we recommend using a Windows computer. The Windows CloudFiles app handles large file sets better and supports setting the Sync folder to an external drive. Note that Windows filename limits may differ from Mac.
Before you start, you will need:
- The Sync CloudFiles app 5.x installed
- A stable internet connection
- Optional: A large external drive
- Enough local or external drive storage for one batch at a time
- Time to let large downloads complete
Large transfers can take hours or days, depending on the amount of data and your internet speed.
Step 1: Install the Sync CloudFiles app for Windows
Install the Sync CloudFiles 5.x app on your computer. If you already have a Sync desktop app, update to the latest 5-series app first.
- Get the app here for Windows or Mac.
- On Windows consider setting the location of the Sync folder to a large USB connected external drive during installation (The Mac app must use the default internal storage location)
- If you don't have enough local storage to download the entire data set, make sure you choose Enable CloudFiles (recommended) during install. This will ensure your files and folders appear in Windows File Explorer, but they will not download until you choose to later.
Step 2: Keep your computer awake and signed in
Large downloads may take a long time. The Sync desktop app only runs while the Windows user is signed in. Before starting a large transfer:
- Turn off sleep mode
- Prevent automatic logout
- Keep the Windows user signed in
- Avoid restarting the computer during active transfers
- Follow these instructions to disable sleep mode on your computer.
Step 3: Disconnect other Sync desktop apps
- Disconnect other Sync desktop apps connected to your account by uninstalling Sync on those computers or keeping those computers turned off.
- For best results, use only one Sync desktop app or device on the account while completing the download.
Step 4: Copy files from Vault to Sync folder
This step only applies if you you have files in the Vault. UYou'll need to copy them into the Files tab so they can be available for download in the desktop app.
Sign in to the web panel.
From the left navigation menu, select Vault.
Select the files or folders you want to download, then click the Move icon.
In the dialog, switch to the Files tab and choose a destination folder to move the files to.
Important notes for this step:
- Do not proceed with Step 4 until the Vault copy is complete.
- If the Vault copy is going slow you may to copy in batches as well (folders at a time)
Step 5: Download your files in batches
From your computer, open your Sync folder in Windows File Explorer or Mac Finder. You should be able to see your files and folders, even though they are cloud-only.
To download a batch:
- Choose a folder or group of files.
- Right-click and select Always keep on this device or Download Now to make the files available locally.
- Wait for Sync to finish downloading the selected files.
- Confirm the files are fully downloaded before copying to an external drive or moving on.
Choose batches based on how much free storage you have available. Do not try to download more than your drive can hold.
Step 6: Copy the downloaded files to your final destination
Once a batch has finished downloading, copy it to your backup drive, external drive, or final destination.
Important:
- Copy the files instead of moving them.
- Moving or deleting files from your Sync folder may sync those changes back to your Sync account. Copying helps avoid accidental deletion.
- After copying, check that the files are present in the destination before freeing up local space.
Step 6: Free up space and continue
After you have confirmed the batch was copied successfully, you can free up local space by setting those files back to cloud-only.
From Windows File xEplorer or Mac Finder:
- Right-click and select Free up space or Remove Download to remove them from yoru computer (but keep them in the cloud).
Common mistakes to avoid:
- Letting the app download everything automatically. Make sure cloud-only mode is enabled during setup. This prevents the app from trying to download your entire Sync account at once.
- Letting the computer sleep. Large downloads can take days. If Windows goes to sleep or signs out, Sync will stop running.
- Using multiple Sync desktop apps at the same time. Other connected desktop apps may create syncing activity that slows down or interferes with the transfer.
- Moving files instead of copying them. Moving files out of the Sync folder may remove them from Sync. Always copy files to your destination first.
- Downloading too much at once. Only download as much as your local or external drive can safely store.
Recommended workflow:
- Install the Sync CloudFiles 5.x app.
- Enable CloudFiles by default during setup.
- Set the Sync folder to a large external drive, if available (Windows only).
- Keep the computer awake and the user signed in.
- Disconnect other Sync desktop apps from the account.
- If you files in Vault, copy your files from Vault to the Sync folder (using the web panel) before proceeding further.
- Download one folder or batch at a time by right clicking and selecting: Always keep on this device or Download Now.
- Copy the downloaded batch to your final destination.
- Verify the copy.
- Set the batch back to cloud-only to free up space by right clicking and selecting: Free up space or Remove Download.
- Repeat until all files are downloaded.
Downloading your files from the web panel:
If you only need to download a few files, you can do so directly from the web panel. This method works best for smaller data sets or specific files.
To download your files from the web panel:
You can quickly download individual files from the web panel to your computer.
Sign in to the web panel.
Navigate to the file or folder you want to download.
Select the file(s) and click the Download (
) icon from the top menu bar.
Note: Folders cannot be downloaded directly from the web panel. To download folder contents, open it and select the individual files within it.
To download your files using a shared link:
If you have less than 5 GB of data, you can download multiple files or folders together by creating a shared link and downloading them as a ZIP file.
Sign in to the web panel.
Create or locate the folder containing the files you want to download.
Click the ellipsis (⋮) icon beside the folder or file.
Select Share as link (or Manage link if a link already exists).
Copy and paste the shared link into your browser.
On the link page, click the Download (
Note: Once your Sync account is deleted, the shared link will no longer be accessible.
Downloading data as a teams administrator:
If you’re a teams administrator, follow these steps to ensure team data is properly downloaded before closing the account:
Admins don’t have direct access to sub-user accounts or their private files.
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To retrieve or preserve data, you can:
Ask each user to download or transfer their files as described above.
Have users move important files into shared folders that you own, allowing you to download them from your account.
If a user is unavailable or their account has been deleted, contact our support team for help retrieving or transferring their data.