⇄ Back up folders automatically
Folders on your computer are continuously copied to your storage by themselves – a backup you never forget.
What it does for you
- Laptop stolen, hard disk broken, coffee over the keyboard – your files are still there.
- You don't have to think about anything: every new or changed file is backed up automatically.
- Deleted files can optionally stay in the trash for another 30 days.
Who it is for: Everyone with important files on their computer – so really everyone.
What you need: Signed in with “Stay signed in”, enough space in your storage. Included in your account.
Almost everyone knows someone whose hard disk died – and with it the wedding photos, the master's thesis or the tax documents. Everyone knew they should make a backup. Nobody did it regularly. Sync does it for you, every day, without you thinking about it.
How it works
You tell DasDing which folders on your computer are important, for example “Documents” or “Pictures”. DasDing keeps an eye on these folders. As soon as you create or change a file in them, it copies it in the background to your personal area. There it is kept as a copy under /Persoenlich/<folder name>.
Safe
the direction is always only computer → storage. DasDing never deletes or changes anything on your computer. So sync can't harm your PC.
Setting up
- 🏠 Personal area → sub-tab ⇄ Sync.
- ＋ Add folder and choose a folder on your computer. You can adjust the target in storage with Change target.
- With the first folder, “Enable sync” turns on by itself. If the tick is ever off, each folder shows in red “Sync is turned off – nothing is uploaded from this folder” with the button Turn on now.
- Recommended: turn on “Start with the computer (in the notification area)”. Then the backup also runs when the DasDing window is closed (the program then sits at the bottom right next to the clock).
The first backup can take hours depending on the amount of data. After that only changes are transferred, which is fast.
Options per folder
- Apply deletions (to the trash): if you delete a file on the PC, its copy in storage moves to the “_Papierkorb” (trash) folder and stays there for 30 days. Without the tick, the copy simply stays.
- Skip hidden files: leaves out system files you don't need.
- 🚫 Exclude subfolder …: choose a subfolder that should not go to the cloud (e.g. a large folder of raw data). It appears below in the “Not synced” list; ✕ syncs it again. Whatever of it is already in the cloud stays there.
- ⟳ Sync now, ⏸ Pause and Remove (only ends the backup of this folder, deletes nothing).
Understanding the status
- “✓ In sync · 12 in the folder · 12 in the cloud” – everything is backed up.
- “Syncing …” – currently running.
- “⚠ Storage full” – make space or expand storage.
- “⚠ Not everything is in the cloud” – below it are the affected files with the reason. If a file that was already backed up suddenly is missing in storage (for example moved there), DasDing uploads it again by itself. If it disappears again – for instance because the virus scan removed it – it is listed with ⟳ Upload again.
I have two computers. Are the files synchronised between them?
No. Each computer backs up its own files to storage. Nothing is downloaded to the computers. If you set up the same folder on two PCs, storage contains the files of both.
Does this also protect against ransomware that encrypts my files?
Partly: the encrypted files would be uploaded as a change. But the previous version of deleted files stays in the trash for 30 days. For documents that must never be lost, also make a copy on an external hard disk now and then.
What is the difference from the computer backup?
Sync backs up your files to storage – good against theft and disk failure. The computer backup backs up the state of Windows or Linux – good when something stops working after an update. Ideally you use both.
This guide is also available in the program under 📖 Guides – with jump links to the other guides.