Syncthing
Free, open-source sync between your own devices, with no cloud in the middle.
Latest release: v2.1.5 · released Sep 8, 2026
In short
Syncthing keeps folders in step directly between your computers. There is no account and no central server: files exist only on the devices you pair, which you connect by exchanging device IDs.
Made by: Syncthing Foundation · Where your data lives: Only on your own devices; there is no central server.
Logo from: github.com
The editor’s take
Ideal if you never want files on someone else’s server. It syncs devices you pair rather than sharing links, and devices must be online together.
Best for
Devices you own
Keeping a laptop, desktop and home server in step without a subscription.
Check first
Phones and sharing
There is no official phone app, and it is not built for sending files to other people.
Download & install
Every link goes to the official site, an official app store, or the project’s own GitHub releases.
The official Windows build is a .zip. The installers listed on the page are community projects.
Direct files from GitHub release v2.1.5: syncthing-windows-amd64-v2.1.5.zip (11 MB)
Direct files from GitHub release v2.1.5: syncthing_2.1.5_amd64.deb (11 MB)
Latest release: v2.1.5 · released Sep 8, 2026 · fetched from GitHub on Oct 3, 2026 · Releases on GitHub
Getting started without coding
Plain-language steps based on the official install guide.
An installer exists, but you need some extra setup.
Installers and apps exist, but you must pair every device by exchanging device IDs, and with no cloud copy, devices only sync with each other.
Is there an installer?
- Windows Zip/archive only
- Mac Installer
- Linux Package
- iPhone & iPad Not available
- Android Not available
No official hosted version. There is no cloud service by design: your data is only ever stored on your own devices.
Steps for Windows
- Easiest: use an installer listed on syncthing.net/downloads (community projects, not made by the Syncthing team), or unzip the official build and double-click syncthing.exe.
- The settings page opens in your browser. Find this computer’s ID under Actions › Show ID.
- On both devices click “Add Remote Device”, enter the other device’s ID, choose folders to share and save.
Steps for Mac
- Download the Syncthing for macOS app (.dmg) from the official Syncthing GitHub organisation.
- Drag it into Applications and open it; it sets up Syncthing for you.
- Open the settings page and add each other’s device IDs on both devices.
Steps for Linux
- Install Syncthing from your distribution, or on Debian/Ubuntu from apt.syncthing.net.
- Start it; the settings page opens at http://127.0.0.1:8384.
- Add each other’s device IDs on both devices and choose folders to share.
What we could verify
We checked key factual claims and linked to primary sources so you can confirm the details. Last reviewed Oct 3, 2026
Try before you move
A simple way to see if it fits your needs.
- Sync one non-critical folderStart with files you can afford to lose while you learn how it behaves.
- Check sharing and phone accessShare a file with someone outside your team and open it on your phone.
- Practise a restoreDelete a test file and bring it back before you trust it with everything.
Good to know
- There is no official phone app any more: the official Android app was archived in December 2024, and the iOS and Android apps listed in the docs are community projects. Source: docs.syncthing.net
- Files are exchanged only when your devices are online at the same time, because nothing is uploaded to a cloud. Source: docs.syncthing.net