Skip to content

Usage Guides

This page provides practical guides for common FolderSync usage scenarios. Each guide includes step-by-step instructions with recommended settings based on v2 folderpair configurations.

Quick Navigation

📸 Photo & Media Backup

📄 Document Management

💾 Backup & Archive

🔧 Advanced Configurations

📚 Reference Sections

At a Glance

Guide Sync Type Difficulty Key Features Pro Required
Photo EXIF Sorting One-way ⭐⭐ Medium EXIF date extraction, folder patterns No
Camera Backup One-way ⭐ Easy Instant sync, automatic backup No
Music Library One-way ⭐ Easy Format filtering No
Document Sync Two-way ⭐ Easy Instant sync, file type filters No
Conflict Prevention Two-way ⭐⭐⭐ Advanced Automation rules, conflict handling Yes
Versioned Backups One-way ⭐ Easy Time-stamped folders No
Auto Archive One-way ⭐⭐ Medium Age-based filtering, move files No
RegEx Filtering One-way ⭐⭐⭐ Advanced Pattern matching No
Safety Limits Two-way ⭐⭐⭐ Advanced Automation safeguards Yes
SSID Triggers Two-way ⭐⭐⭐ Advanced Wi-Fi automation Yes
Tasker Integration Any ⭐⭐⭐ Advanced External automation No

Guide 1: One-Way Photo Backup with EXIF Date Sorting

Scenario: Automatically backup photos from your camera to cloud storage, organizing them by date (year/month/day) based on when the photo was taken (EXIF data).

Use case: Keep your photos organized chronologically in cloud storage while maintaining the originals on your device.

Configuration Steps

  1. Create FolderPair

    • Name: "Photo Backup - Date Sorted"
    • Sync type: To right folder (one-way to cloud)
    • Left account: SD CARD
    • Left folder: /DCIM/Camera (or your camera folder)
    • Right account: Your cloud provider (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox)
    • Right folder: /Photos/Backup

  2. Sync Options

    • ✅ Sync deletions: Disabled (keep photos on device even if deleted from cloud)
    • ✅ Do not create empty folders: Enabled
    • Overwrite old files: Always (ensure latest version is backed up)

  3. One-Way Sync Options

    • ✅ Only resync source files if modified: Enabled (allows you to delete from cloud without re-syncing)
    • Move files to target folder: Disabled (keep originals on device)

  4. Sort Options

    • ✅ Sort files in target folder: EXIF Original Datetime
    • Folder pattern (datetime): yyyy/MM/dd
    • Result: Photos will be organized as /Photos/Backup/2026/01/25/IMG_1234.jpg

  5. Filters (Optional but recommended)

    • Include file extensions: jpg, jpeg, png, heic, raw, dng
    • Exclude folders: Any folders you don't want to backup

  6. Scheduling

    • Schedule: Daily at 2:00 AM (when device is charging)
    • Connection: Wi-Fi only
    • Battery: Only when charging

Tips

  • EXIF datetime extraction only works when source folder for the files to be sorted are on device storage
  • If EXIF data is missing, the file's last modified time will be used as fallback
  • Test with a small subset of photos first before enabling full sync
  • Source folder must be accessible for EXIF reading (may not work on some external SD cards)

Guide 2: Automated Camera Roll Backup

Scenario: Automatically backup new photos and videos from your camera as soon as they're captured.

Use case: Ensure your precious memories are safely backed up without manual intervention.

Configuration Steps

  1. Create FolderPair

    • Name: "Instant Camera Backup"
    • Sync type: To right folder
    • Left account: SD CARD
    • Left folder: /DCIM/Camera
    • Right account: Your cloud provider
    • Right folder: /Camera Backup

  2. Sync Options

    • Sync deletions: Disabled
    • Do not create empty folders: Enabled

  3. One-Way Sync Options

    • ✅ Only resync source files if modified: Enabled
    • Move files to target folder: Disabled (or Enabled to free up device space)

  4. Monitor Device Folder

    • ✅ Instant sync: Enabled (backup immediately when new photos are taken)

  5. Scheduling

    • Schedule: Every 1 hour (as fallback for instant sync)
    • Connection: Wi-Fi only (to avoid data charges)
    • Battery: Any

  6. Filters

    • Include file extensions: jpg, jpeg, png, heic, mp4, mov

Tips

  • Instant sync requires the folderpair to have at least one schedule configured
  • If no custom connection permissions are set, instant sync runs only on Wi-Fi
  • Consider using "Move files to target folder" if you want to free up device space after backup

Guide 3: Sync Music Library with File Type Filtering

Scenario: Sync your music collection to your device, but only include specific audio formats.

Use case: Save space by excluding large lossless formats when syncing to mobile.

Configuration Steps

  1. Create FolderPair

    • Name: "Music Library Sync"
    • Sync type: To left folder (from cloud to device)
    • Left account: SD CARD
    • Left folder: /Music
    • Right account: Your cloud provider
    • Right folder: /Music Library

  2. Sync Options

    • Sync deletions: Enabled (mirror library)
    • Do not create empty folders: Disabled (preserve folder structure)

  3. Filters - Include

    • File extension: mp3
    • File extension: m4a
    • File extension: ogg

  4. Filters - Exclude (Optional - to save space)

    • File extension: flac (lossless format)
    • File extension: wav (uncompressed format)
    • File extension: ape (lossless format)

  5. Scheduling

    • Schedule: Weekly on Sunday at 3:00 AM
    • Connection: Wi-Fi only

Guide 4: Two-Way Document Sync Between Devices

Scenario: Keep work documents synchronized between your phone, tablet, and computer via cloud storage.

Use case: Access and edit the same documents from multiple devices with automatic synchronization.

Configuration Steps

  1. Create FolderPair

    • Name: "Work Documents Sync"
    • Sync type: Two-way
    • Left account: SD CARD
    • Left folder: /Documents/Work
    • Right account: Your cloud provider
    • Right folder: /Work

  2. Sync Options

    • ✅ Sync deletions: Enabled (deletions are mirrored)
    • Overwrite old files: Always
    • If both local and remote file have been modified: Use newest file or Skip file (to avoid conflicts)

  3. Filters

    • Include file extensions: pdf, doc, docx, xls, xlsx, txt, md
    • Exclude file patterns: ~$* (temporary Office files)

  4. Monitor Device Folder

    • ✅ Instant sync: Enabled (sync changes immediately when detected)

  5. Scheduling

    • Schedule: Every 2 hours
    • Connection: Wi-Fi or mobile data
    • Also enable instant sync for real-time updates (device storage only)

Warning

⚠️ Enable "Sync deletions" with care! A file deleted on one device will be deleted from all synced locations.

Guide 5: Project Folder Two-Way Sync with Conflict Prevention

Scenario: Sync a project folder between device and cloud, with safeguards against conflicts.

Use case: Work on projects from multiple devices while preventing accidental overwrites.

Configuration Steps

  1. Create FolderPair

    • Name: "Project Sync - Safe"
    • Sync type: Two-way
    • Left account: SD CARD
    • Left folder: /Projects/CurrentProject
    • Right account: Your cloud provider
    • Right folder: /Projects/CurrentProject

  2. Sync Options

    • Sync deletions: Enabled
    • If both local and remote file have been modified: Skip file (prevents conflicts)
    • Overwrite old files: Always
    • ✅ Use temp-file scheme: Enabled (uploads to temporary file first, then renames - safer for interrupted transfers)

  3. Filters - Exclude

    • Folder name equals: node_modules
    • Folder name equals: .git
    • Folder name equals: build
    • File extension: tmp
    • File extension: log

  4. Monitor Device Folder

    • ✅ Instant sync: Enabled

  5. Scheduling

    • Schedule: Every 30 minutes
    • Connection: Wi-Fi or mobile data

  6. Automation (Optional - requires Pro)

    • Create automation rule:
    • Event: SyncAnalysisComplete
    • Condition: SyncConflictsMoreThan 0
    • Action: CancelSync and SendNotification
    • Purpose: Prevent sync and notify you when conflicts are detected

Tips

  • Configure to skip conflicts rather than auto-resolve to prevent data loss
  • Review sync logs regularly to check for skipped files
  • Resolve conflicts manually by checking which version is newer

Guide 6: Time-Stamped Daily Backups

Scenario: Create daily backups of important files with each backup stored in a separate time-stamped folder.

Use case: Maintain multiple backup versions to protect against accidental file corruption or deletion.

Configuration Steps

  1. Create FolderPair

    • Name: "Daily Versioned Backup"
    • Sync type: To right folder
    • Left account: SD CARD
    • Left folder: /Documents/Important
    • Right account: Your cloud provider or external storage
    • Right folder: /Backups

  2. Backup Options

    • ✅ Copy files to time-stamped folder: Enabled
    • Naming pattern: yyyy-MM-dd HH.mm.ss 'Backup'
    • Result: Each backup creates folders like /Backups/2026-01-25 14.30.00 Backup/
    • Note: This is a backup feature that copies files to dated folders, different from EXIF date sorting

  3. Sync Options

    • Sync deletions: Disabled
    • Overwrite old files: Always

  4. Scheduling

    • Schedule: Daily at 11:00 PM
    • Connection: Wi-Fi only
    • Battery: Only when charging

Alternative Naming Patterns

  • yyyy/MM-dd - Organize by year: 2026/01-25
  • 'Week 'ww'-'yyyy - Organize by week: Week 04-2026
  • yyyy-'Q'Q - Organize by quarter: 2026-Q1

Tips

  • This creates a new folder for each sync, so old backups are preserved
  • Monitor storage space as this can accumulate many copies
  • Only works with one-way sync types

Guide 7: Archive Old Files Automatically

Scenario: Move files older than a certain age from your device to cloud storage archive.

Use case: Free up device storage while keeping old files accessible in the cloud.

Configuration Steps

  1. Create FolderPair

    • Name: "Archive Old Files"
    • Sync type: To right folder
    • Left account: SD CARD
    • Left folder: /Documents
    • Right account: Your cloud provider
    • Right folder: /Archive

  2. One-Way Sync Options

    • ✅ Move files to target folder: Enabled (delete from device after sync)
    • ✅ Only resync source files if modified: Enabled

  3. Filters - Include

    • File age older than: 90 days (only sync files older than 90 days)

  4. Sync Options

    • Overwrite old files: Never (files only move once)

  5. Scheduling

    • Schedule: Monthly on 1st at 2:00 AM
    • Connection: Wi-Fi only
    • Battery: Only when charging

Warning

⚠️ "Move files to target folder" will DELETE files from source after successful sync! Test thoroughly first.

Guide 8: Selective Folder Sync with RegEx Filters

Scenario: Sync only specific subfolders matching a pattern while excluding others.

Use case: Backup only project folders matching a naming convention (e.g., "PROJECT-*").

Configuration Steps

  1. Create FolderPair

    • Name: "Selective Project Backup"
    • Sync type: To right folder
    • Left account: SD CARD
    • Left folder: /Work
    • Right account: Your cloud provider
    • Right folder: /Work Backup

  2. Filters - Include

    • Folder path RegEx: .*/(PROJECT-[0-9]+)$
    • This matches folders like /Work/PROJECT-001/, /Work/PROJECT-123/

  3. Filters - Exclude

    • Folder name contains: temp
    • Folder name contains: cache
    • File name starts with: .

  4. Sync Options

    • Sync deletions: Disabled
    • Do not create empty folders: Enabled

  5. Scheduling

    • Schedule: Daily at 6:00 PM
    • Connection: Wi-Fi only

RegEx Pattern Examples

  • .*\.backup$ - Folders ending with ".backup"
  • .*/20[0-9]{2}-[0-9]{2}.* - Folders with date pattern (2024-01, etc.)
  • .*/client_[A-Z]+$ - Folders like "client_ABC", "client_XYZ"

Guide 9: Large File Sync with Safety Limits

Scenario: Sync files but prevent accidentally transferring huge amounts of data.

Use case: Protect against syncing errors that could consume bandwidth or storage.

Configuration Steps

  1. Create FolderPair

    • Name: "Controlled File Sync"
    • Sync type: Two-way
    • Left account: SD CARD
    • Left folder: /Sync
    • Right account: Your cloud provider
    • Right folder: /Sync

  2. Filters - Include

    • File size less than: 100 MB (only sync files under 100MB)

  3. Automation (Requires Pro)

    • Rule 1: Cancel if too many files

      • Event: SyncAnalysisComplete
      • Condition: SyncTransferFilesMoreThan 500
      • Action: CancelSync + SendNotification

    • Rule 2: Cancel if transfer size too large

      • Event: SyncAnalysisComplete
      • Condition: SyncTransferSizeMoreThan 1073741824 (1 GB in bytes)
      • Action: CancelSync + SendNotification

    • Rule 3: Stop if too many deletions

      • Event: SyncAnalysisComplete
      • Condition: SyncDeletedFilesMoreThan 50
      • Action: StopCurrentSync + SendNotification

  4. Scheduling

    • Schedule: Daily at 1:00 AM
    • Connection: Wi-Fi only

Tips

  • Start with conservative limits and adjust based on your needs
  • Review notifications to understand why syncs are canceled
  • Automation rules provide safety nets against unexpected large operations

Guide 10: SSID-Triggered Sync (Android Only)

Scenario: Automatically sync when connected to specific Wi-Fi networks (home, office).

Use case: Sync work files when at office, personal files when at home.

Configuration Steps

  1. Create FolderPair

    • Name: "Office Files Auto-Sync"
    • Sync type: Two-way
    • Left account: SD CARD
    • Left folder: /Documents/Office
    • Right account: Your cloud provider
    • Right folder: /Office

  2. Scheduling

    • Schedule: Every 1 hour
    • Connection: Wi-Fi only

  3. Automation (Requires Pro)

    • Event: WiFiConnect
    • Condition: SSIDIdentifierIs "OfficeNetwork"
    • Action: StartSync (select this folderpair)

  4. Optional: Disable on disconnect

    • Event: WiFiDisconnect
    • Condition: SSIDIdentifierIs "OfficeNetwork"
    • Action: DisableSchedule

Tips

  • This requires FolderSync Pro for automation features
  • Android 8.1+: Location services must be enabled for SSID detection to work
  • Create separate folderpairs for different Wi-Fi networks
  • Useful for location-based syncing without GPS

Guide 11: Trigger Sync with Tasker (Android Only)

Scenario: Use Tasker app to trigger FolderSync syncs based on custom conditions, time, location, or other events.

Use case: Advanced automation scenarios like syncing when you arrive/leave a location, after taking photos, on specific battery levels, or combining multiple conditions that aren't available in FolderSync's built-in automation.

Prerequisites

  • Install Tasker from Google Play Store
  • FolderSync installed (Pro not required for basic Tasker integration)
  • Android 5.0 or later

Configuration Steps

Step 1: Create a FolderPair in FolderSync

  1. Create or select existing FolderPair

    • Name: "Camera Backup" (or any name)
    • Configure your sync settings as needed
    • Note the folderpair name - you'll need it for Tasker

  2. Optional: Configure scheduling

    • You can leave schedules disabled if you only want Tasker to trigger syncs
    • Or combine Tasker triggers with regular schedules

Step 2: Set Up Tasker Task

  1. Open Tasker and create a new Task:

    • Tap the Tasks tab (bottom center)
    • Tap + to create a new task
    • Name it: "Sync Camera Backup"

  2. Add FolderSync Plugin Action:

    • Tap + to add an action
    • Select Plugin → FolderSync
    • Tap the Configuration icon (pencil/edit button)
    • Choose your action:
      • Sync - Select a specific folderpair from the list
      • Sync All - Sync all enabled folderpairs
    • For Sync, select "Camera Backup" (or your folderpair name)
    • Tap the back button to save the configuration

  3. Save the Task (tap ✓ or back button)

FolderSync as Tasker Plugin

FolderSync integrates directly with Tasker as a plugin, so you don't need to manually configure intents. The plugin interface provides an easy dropdown menu to select folderpairs.

Step 3: Create Tasker Profile (Trigger)

  1. Create a Profile (the condition that triggers the task):
    • Tap Profiles tab
    • Tap + to create new profile
    • Choose your trigger type:

Example Triggers:

A) Location-Based Sync (GPS) - Select State → Location → Location - Set your location (e.g., home, office) - Set radius (meters) - Link to your "Sync Camera Backup" task

B) Time-Based Sync - Select Time → Time - Set from/to times - Set repeat interval if desired - Link to your sync task

C) After Taking Photos - Select Event → System → File Modified - File: /sdcard/DCIM/Camera/* - Link to your sync task - Add a Wait action (e.g., 5 minutes) before sync to batch multiple photos

D) Battery Level Trigger - Select State → Power → Battery Level - Set Level: 80-100 (sync when battery is high) - Link to your sync task

E) When Connected to Power - Select State → Power → Power - Source: AC or USB - Link to your sync task

  1. Associate Task with Profile:
    • Select the "Sync Camera Backup" task you created
    • The profile is now active (toggle switch on)

Step 4: Advanced Configuration (Optional)

Add Conditions to Your Task:

  1. Edit your sync task
  2. Add conditional checks before syncing:

Example: Only sync on Wi-Fi - Add action: Net → WiFi Connected - Add If statement: %WIFII ~ * (Wi-Fi info not empty) - Add your FolderSync plugin action - Add End If

Example: Check battery level - Add action: Variables → Variable Set - Name: %SYNCBATT - To: %BATT (current battery level) - Add If statement: %SYNCBATT > 50 - Add your FolderSync plugin action - Add End If

Complete Example: Smart Photo Backup

Goal: Backup photos when at home, on Wi-Fi, with good battery.

Profile: "Home Photo Backup" 1. Trigger: Location → Your home address (radius: 100m) 2. Additional State: WiFi Connected → Your home network SSID 3. Additional State: Battery Level → 50-100

Task: "Execute Photo Sync" 

1. Wait: 5 minutes (optional delay)
2. If: %WIFI ~ *YourHomeSSID*
3.   Plugin → FolderSync
     Configuration: Sync → Camera Backup
4. End If
5. Notify: "FolderSync backup started" (optional)

Alternative: Manual Intent Configuration

If you prefer to use intents directly instead of the plugin (for advanced use cases or scripting):

Sync specific folderpair: 

Action: com.tacit.foldersync.action.SYNC
Extra: folderpair:<name>
Package: dk.tacit.android.foldersync.full (or .lite)
Target: Broadcast Receiver

Sync all enabled folderpairs: 

Action: com.tacit.foldersync.action.SYNC_ALL
Package: dk.tacit.android.foldersync.full (or .lite)
Target: Broadcast Receiver

Plugin vs Intent

The plugin method is easier and less error-prone. Use manual intents only if you need programmatic control or are integrating from other automation tools.

Troubleshooting

Sync doesn't trigger: - Verify FolderSync is properly installed - Check that the folderpair exists and is enabled - Ensure FolderSync has necessary permissions in Android settings - Test the Tasker task manually using the play button - Review Tasker run log for errors (three-dot menu → More → Run Log)

Multiple syncs starting: - Add a cooldown variable in Tasker - Use Tasker's collision handling settings - Add delay/wait actions between triggers

Battery drain: - Use efficient triggers (avoid constant polling) - Add battery level conditions - Use "Low Power Mode" in Tasker settings - Limit GPS-based triggers to specific times

Tips

  • The plugin interface makes setup easy - just select from your existing folderpairs
  • Test your Tasker task manually first (play button in Tasker)
  • Check FolderSync logs to confirm syncs are triggered correctly
  • Combine multiple Tasker conditions for smarter automation
  • Use Tasker variables to create complex conditional logic
  • Create separate profiles for different folderpairs and conditions
  • Add notification actions to confirm when syncs are triggered
  • The plugin method is recommended over manual intents for most users

Advanced Use Cases

Backup before system reboot: - Profile: Event → System → Device Boot - Task: Wait 2 minutes, then sync all

Sync when leaving work: - Profile: Location → Work address (Exit task) - Exit Task: Sync work documents

Conditional sync based on file count: - Use Tasker to count files in a directory - Only trigger sync if count exceeds threshold - Useful for batching small file syncs

Time-based sync with retry: - Profile: Daily at 2 AM - Task: Sync, wait, check if successful, retry if failed - Use FolderSync's log file to verify success

Common Settings Reference

Sync Types

  • To right folder: One-way from device to cloud (backup)
  • To left folder: One-way from cloud to device (download)
  • Two-way: Bidirectional sync (both directions)

When to Enable Sync Deletions

✅ Enable when: - You want true mirror sync between locations - You actively manage files and deletions should propagate - You have backups of your data elsewhere

❌ Disable when: - You're backing up and want to keep files even if deleted from source - You're unsure about the sync configuration - You don't have other backups

Connection Settings Best Practices

  • Wi-Fi only: Use for large files or metered data plans
  • Wi-Fi or mobile data: Use for critical documents/small files
  • Battery: Only when charging: Use for scheduled overnight syncs
  • Battery: Any: Use for instant sync or time-critical operations

Troubleshooting Common Scenarios

Photos Not Sorting by EXIF Date

  • Ensure files are on device storage (EXIF extraction doesn't work for remote files)
  • Check that photos contain EXIF data (some camera apps may not include it)
  • Fallback: System will use file modification time if EXIF is missing

Sync Not Starting Automatically

  • Check schedule is enabled (alarm icon should be active)
  • Verify connection settings allow current connection type
  • Check battery settings aren't blocking background operations
  • Review Android battery optimization settings for FolderSync

Files Keep Conflicting

  • Set "If both files modified" to "Use newest file" or "Skip file"
  • Consider using one-way sync instead of two-way
  • Ensure only one device modifies files at a time
  • Check file modification times are accurate

Instant Sync Not Working

  • Folderpair must have at least one schedule configured
  • Only works with left folder on device storage
  • May not work on external SD cards on some Android devices
  • May not work in Android/data or Android/obb folders on Android 11+ due to scoped storage restrictions
  • May not work in Android/data folders on Android 11+ (scoped storage)
  • Default schedule connection settings must allow current connection

Additional Resources