Sync Folders between Drives in Windows 11, 10, 8, 7 (with Video)

There are situations where you need to sync files between different locations, such as syncing files to an external hard drive for backup, or syncing files to a Cloud drive to share or protect data.

To sync folders between drives in Windows 11/10/8/7 efficiently and securely, you can use built-in tools like OneDrive, Google Drive, or third-party software such as SyncToy, RoboBackup, or GoodSync. These tools allow you to select specific folders to sync, set up automatic backups, and even schedule syncs to run at specific times. Additionally, you can also use Windows built-in feature, File History, to backup and sync files, which can be easily set up and configured to meet your specific needs.

Effective methods to sync folders between drives in Windows

Syncing files and folders between drives can be a tedious task, especially when the source folder's data changes frequently. While copying and pasting in File Explorer is a straightforward approach, it becomes laborious when dealing with frequently updated data.

To avoid the hassle, there's a more advanced method to copy files/folders using the command line, which allows for customization of the synchronization process with specific commands and parameters. However, if you're not familiar with CMD, this approach may be challenging and prone to errors. For a more straightforward solution, you can refer to the guide on copying files from one folder to another with scheduling.

If you're looking for a fast, secure, and user-friendly solution, you might be better off with a free tool that has an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI). I can suggest two alternatives that you can try, which will be discussed in the following article.

Way 1. Use SyncToy to sync files between folders in Windows

SyncToy, a free tool designed by Microsoft, allows you to sync files and folders between different data locations or devices. Its user-friendly interface makes it a great option for less experienced computer users. With SyncToy, you can easily sync folders between drives, making it a useful tool for managing your data across different devices.

1. Download and install SyncToy as instructed. Launch it.

2. Click on Create New Folder Pair beneath.

3. To sync folders, select the source (Left Folder) and destination (Right Folder) folders, and click Browse to choose them.

4. In the "What do you want to do?" step, select the sync mode. There are three options: Synchronize, Echo, and Contribute. Choose the one that suits you best, with Echo being the most commonly used option.

Synchronize: Sync files and changes, including new, updated, renamed or deleted files, to other locations when detected.

Echo is a file transfer method that only copies changes from one folder to another, also known as one-way file synchronization.

Transfer only changed files, excluding deletions, to the corresponding folder.

5. To distinguish the folder pair, name the folder pair and click Finish to exit the wizard, and you're done.

• You can rename and delete existing folder pair.
If you need to create another new folder pair, you can repeat the steps above to create a new pair.
You can schedule SyncToy in Windows 10 or Windows 7 with the help of Task Scheduler.

SyncToy may not always be the best choice

Keeping Windows sync folders between different drives or on the same drive is relatively simple. However, in some cases, you may need to use alternative sync tools to achieve the desired sync functionality.

If you encounter issues with SyncToy, such as not copying all files or syncing subfolders, or if you want to perform real-time sync tasks, regular sync mode in Task Scheduler may not be sufficient. Additionally, if you need to sync more than one folder to the same place, you'll have to create multiple folder pairs, and scheduling SyncToy requires the use of Task Scheduler.

Fortunately, you can remedy those regrets in another way.

Way 2. Easier tool to auto sync folders between drives in Windows

Qiling Disk Master Standard is a free backup & restore tool that also features a powerful Sync function. This allows you to synchronize multiple files and folders from one drive to another, even if they're on different disks, providing a convenient way to keep your data in sync.

Sync files to other internal or external drives in Windows 11/10/8/7, or sync a local folder to cloud storage like OneDrive or Google Drive, a NAS, network share, or even ync files between desktop and laptop.sync files between desktop and laptop.

To keep the source and destination directories in sync, delete any files or directories in the destination that are not present in the source. This ensures that both locations have the same contents, maintaining consistency between them.

Automatically sync folders with a schedule of Daily, Weekly, Monthly.

Upgrading to the Professional edition provides access to more advanced sync modes and scheduling options.

To sync folders between drives on Windows, download the software and follow these steps: [insert steps].

1. 1. Download and install Qiling Disk Master. 2.

• Free Download
• Windows 11/10/8/7, 100% Secure

2. Click Sync and then Basic Sync.

✎Advanced sync modes available in Pro edition:
Real-Time Sync is a feature that synchronizes changed files from the source to the destination in real time.
irror Sync means that the files in the destination folder will be identical to the files in the source folder, with no changes or deletions made during the synchronization process.
wo-Way Sync changed files between source and destination to the other side mutually.Mirror Sync means that the files in the destination folder will be identical to the files in the source folder, with no changes or deletions made during the synchronization process.
wo-Way Sync changed files between source and destination to the other side mutually.Two-Way Sync changed files between source and destination to the other side mutually.

3. To add the source folder, click on "Folder" in SyncToy, which will include all subfolders by default.

4. To add a destination folder in SyncToy, click the second column and select a folder from the list or click the inverted triangle to add a network location.

5. To enable automatic syncing of folders between drives, click on "Schedule" and then select "Sync" followed by "Enable Schedule Sync". This will allow you to choose from Daily, Weekly, or Monthly mode to set up automatic syncing.

✎In Professional and above editions, you can take advantage of event triggers and USB plug-in options.

6. I'll sync files at the next scheduled time. I don't want to sync files now.

Click Options to set up email notifications or sync deletions if desired.
You can manage all sync tasks from the Home tab.
It is not permitted to sync files or folders to CD/DVD/Blue-Ray.

Video Tutorial:

Summary

If you need to sync folders between drives in Windows 10 or Windows 7, two easy methods are available. You can also sync files to an external hard drive with ease. However, if you require more advanced syncing capabilities, such as automatic or real-time syncing, and the ability to sync multiple folders at once, SyncToy may not be sufficient. In such cases, Qiling Disk Master is a more suitable option.

Qiling Disk Master allows users to backup their data to the cloud in a simple and secure way, providing a cloud drive called Qiling Cloud with 1TB of free storage space for 15 days.

Related Articles

• Best Free Real-time File/Folder Sync Software for Windows
• Sync Files between Computer and Flash Drive via Easiest Freeware
• How to Transfer Files between Laptop and Desktop PC Regularly
• Windows 7 End of Support: What Does It Mean and What to Do?
  This pages dwells on “Windows 7 end of support, what does it mean” and tells how to upgrade to Windows 10 after Windows 7 end of life.