Setting Up Cloud Sync on macOS
Keeping your files synced locally on your Mac enables fast access without an internet connection. Instead of accessing your cloud files through a web browser, all important documents are available directly on your hard drive – even when traveling on a plane or in areas with poor connectivity.
Most cloud services offer desktop clients for macOS, but by default many only download files on demand. GrandTotal requires full offline availability. You need to enable full synchronization (often called "Mirror Files" or "Make available offline") in the settings.
Setup Guides
Click on a cloud service to see the setup instructions:
Setup Guide: Dropbox Sync Overview
Dropbox offers "Smart Sync" on macOS, where files are by default only available online. To store files permanently locally, right-click on a folder in Finder.
Select "Make available offline". This ensures that Dropbox fully downloads the selected folder including all subfolders to your Mac.
Setup Guide: Use Drive for desktop on Mac
Google offers the "Drive for desktop" app. After installation, open the settings and under "Google Drive" select the option "Mirror files".
This will fully download all files from your Google Drive to your Mac, making them always available offline.
Setup Guide: Sync files with OneDrive on macOS
OneDrive is already integrated into macOS. Open OneDrive settings and click "Choose Folders" to specify which folders should be synchronized.
For full offline availability, right-click on a folder in Finder and select "Always keep on this device". This will permanently store all files locally.
Setup Guide: Store files in iCloud Drive on Mac
iCloud Drive is deeply integrated into macOS. By default, the "Optimize Mac Storage" option is active, which automatically offloads files to the cloud to save storage space.
To store all files permanently locally, open System Settings → Apple ID → iCloud Drive and disable "Optimize Mac Storage". Then all iCloud files will be fully downloaded to your Mac.
Setup Guide: How do I add folders for synchronization?
pCloud mounts a virtual drive on your Mac. To actually sync folders locally, open pCloud Drive preferences and enable "Sync folders".
Click "Add Sync" to link local folders with folders in your pCloud. These folders will then be synchronized bidirectionally and remain available offline.
Setup Guide: Nextcloud Desktop Client Manual
The Nextcloud Desktop Client works very similarly to ownCloud. After installation, connect the client to your Nextcloud instance.
In settings, you'll find "Selective Sync" if you don't want to synchronize all folders. Disabled folders won't be stored locally, saving storage space.
Setup Guide: The Desktop App for efficient syncing
Download and install the ownCloud Desktop Client. On first launch, enter your ownCloud server URL and your login credentials.
In settings, you can choose "Add Folder Sync Connection" to synchronize additional local directories with server folders. All selected folders will be fully downloaded to your Mac.
Setup Guide: Install Seafile Syncing Client
Install the Seafile client and log in to your server. Seafile organizes data in "Libraries".
For each library, choose "Sync this library" and specify a local folder. Seafile uses block-level synchronization, which is particularly efficient for large files.
Important Note About Backups
Cloud synchronization is not a replacement for a backup. If you accidentally delete or overwrite a file, this change will automatically sync to all devices.
For true data security, you should set up a backup strategy in addition to cloud synchronization – ideally with Time Machine or another local backup system.