Sync, Backup, or Restore: Choosing the Right Task Operation
This guide explains the file transfer operations available in a Sync task — Full Sync, Backup, Backup Sync, Restore, and Restore Sync — and how to choose the right one for your goal.
Every task in Sync performs one operation between your source (local storage) and your destination drive. Picking the right operation matters, because they behave differently — especially around deleted files. This guide explains what each operation does and when to use it.
If you haven't created a task before, start with the guide "How to Create a Sync Task", and see "What is a Drive?" for how to connect your storage.
The Operations
Backup
Uploads files from your source to the destination drive.
- Nothing is ever deleted from the destination.
- Use it for: the first full copy of your files to a cloud drive or USB drive.
Backup Sync
Uploads only the files that changed since the last run.
- Much faster than a full Backup once the first copy exists.
- Nothing is ever deleted from the destination.
- Use it for: regular top-ups after your first Backup — a quick way to keep a safety copy current.
Restore
Downloads files from the destination drive back to your source.
- Use it for: recovering your files onto a new, reset, or replacement device.
Restore Sync
Downloads only the files that changed from the destination drive.
- Use it for: pulling recent changes down without re-downloading everything.
Full Sync
Compares both locations and makes them identical: new files are copied in both directions, and deletions are mirrored — a file deleted in one location is removed from the other.
- Use it for: two locations that should always match exactly.
Important: Full Sync mirrors deletions
If a file is missing on one side, Full Sync will remove it from the other side. This is the correct behavior for keeping two locations identical — but it means Full Sync is not a safety copy.
- If your goal is "keep a copy of my files in case something goes wrong" → use Backup / Backup Sync. They only ever add and update files.
- If your goal is "these two folders should always be exactly the same" → use Full Sync.
Common setups
- Safety copy of your documents: one Backup task to your cloud drive, then re-run it (or a Backup Sync task) whenever you've added or changed files.
- Copies on more than one service: create a separate task per destination — for example, one task backing up Photos to Google Drive and another backing up the same folder to Amazon S3. Each task keeps its own source, destination, and operation.
- Offline copy: a Backup task with a USB/external drive as the destination. Connect the drive, run the task, disconnect.
- Moving to a new device: run Backup on the old device, then Restore from the same drive on the new one.
When do tasks run?
Tasks run when you start them: open the app, select the task, and run it. Tasks are saved, so re-running one takes only a couple of taps — no reconfiguration needed.