--- title: "How to sync a Mac folder with a server" description: "Keep a folder on your Mac and a folder on an SFTP, S3, WebDAV or FTP server in step: compare them row by row, then mirror one way or sync both ways." url: https://anybucket.app/guides/sync-folder-with-server lang: en --- # Sync a folder with a server, row by row A website build and its server, a photo folder and its backup bucket, a shared WebDAV folder and your copy of it. Here's how to keep two folders the same, and see every change before it happens. ## The short answer Open the folder on your Mac in one pane and the folder on the server in the other, then press **⌥F5**. [Compare & Sync](https://anybucket.app/features/compare-sync) lists the two folders row by row. Choose to mirror to the right, mirror to the left or sync both ways, check the action on each row, change any you disagree with, and run it. It works the same between two servers. ## Mirror or sync both ways? Before you start, decide which side is right: | You want | Choose | What it does | | --- | --- | --- | | The server to match your Mac | Mirror to the server's side | Copies what's new or changed; can delete what exists only on the server | | Your Mac to match the server | Mirror to your Mac's side | The same, the other way | | Both sides to keep each other's changes | Sync both ways | Copies changes in both directions, so each side gets what the other has | Mirroring is the right choice for deploying a site or keeping a backup. Syncing both ways suits a folder that changes in two places, such as a shared WebDAV folder. ## Sync a folder step by step 1. Open a tab with **⌘T** and show your Mac's folder in one pane: pick **This Mac** from the pane's source menu. 2. Press **⌘\\** for a second pane and connect it to the server, with **⇧⌘K** or a bookmark from **⌘K**. 3. Open the matching folder on the server. 4. Press **⌥F5**. AnyBucket compares the two panes and lists every file, row by row. 5. Pick the direction: mirror either way or sync both ways. 6. Read the rows. Each one shows its action, such as copying a file across or deleting one that only exists on the target. 7. Change any row's action you disagree with, then start the sync. The copies run through the transfer queue, and a notification tells you when the sync has finished. ## Check every row before it moves Nothing changes until you start the sync. Until then, the list is a plan you can edit: every copy and every delete has its own row. That makes mirroring safe to use on folders you care about. If a delete looks wrong, change that row and leave the rest as they are. ## Sync two servers Compare & Sync works on whatever the two panes show, so it isn't limited to your Mac and one server. Mirror a staging server to production, keep an S3 bucket and a Backblaze B2 bucket the same, or check that a migration from an old FTP host to a new SFTP server is complete. Files that need copying between two different servers stream through a small spool on your Mac; on the same server, copies run on the server itself. ## Without an app For SSH servers, `rsync` in Terminal can mirror a folder, and `--dry-run` shows what it would do first. It doesn't reach S3, WebDAV or FTP, and its preview is a text list you can't edit. If you're happy with `rsync`, AnyBucket uses the same `~/.ssh` setup for SFTP, so the two work side by side. ## Tips for a clean sync - **Start with a mirror** when one side is clearly right, such as a build folder you're about to publish. - **Compare again before you sync** after a long pause, so the plan reflects what's on both sides now. - **Watch the queue:** the Transfers window (**⌥⌘T**) and the menu bar show progress, and anything that fails waits under **Needs attention** with its error. - **Conflicts on a plain copy** are handled separately: see [conflicts](https://anybucket.app/features/conflicts) for replace if newer, keep both and resume. ## Questions, answered ### Can I check every change before it syncs? Yes. Compare & Sync lists a plan with one row per file and its action. A mirror makes the target match the source, so files that exist only on the target show up as their own delete rows, and you can change any row before anything moves. ### Can I sync two servers, not just my Mac and a server? Yes. Compare & Sync compares the two panes, whatever they show: two SFTP servers, two buckets, or a WebDAV share and an S3 bucket. ### Which servers does it work with? All of them: SFTP, FTP, FTPS, Amazon S3 and S3-compatible stores, WebDAV and This Mac, in any combination. ### Will I know when it's done? Yes. AnyBucket sends a notification when a sync finishes, even with the window closed. You can turn each kind of notification on or off under **Settings → Notifications**. ## Read next - [Compare & Sync](https://anybucket.app/features/compare-sync) - [Copy files between servers](https://anybucket.app/guides/copy-files-between-servers-mac) - [Backblaze B2 on a Mac](https://anybucket.app/guides/backblaze-b2-mac) - [Conflicts](https://anybucket.app/features/conflicts) **Buy for $9.99:** https://buy.polar.sh/polar_cl_pCF9yOjezTUaUqMPyUsxEho1EjcOvo6Bk49Q929LQCQ --- AnyBucket is independent software by [Clever Mechanisms](https://clevermechanisms.dev). It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Apple Inc. or any storage provider. Independent software in the spirit of Cyberduck and the classic two-pane commanders. Not affiliated with iterate GmbH (Cyberduck). Apple, Mac, macOS, Finder and Quick Look are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries and regions. Amazon S3 is a trademark of Amazon.com, Inc. Other product names are trademarks of their owners. Email support: support@clevermechanisms.dev