FreeFileSync 6.6

FreeFileSync provides you with a fast and safe method to synchronize files and folders between two locations. The program is open source, so you can use it for free and even contribute to its development. Besides, you can install it both in local and portable modes. If you select the latter, you can then take the program on a portable device (e.g., a pen drive) to use it anywhere.

FreeFileSync offers a neat and clean user interface, though its use may be hard to understand at first. To use the program, you need to start by specifying the two folders to be synchronized, and then click the "Compare" button. The program offers you two comparison methods: by file time and size (which is a faster but less secure method) or by file content, which is a secure method but which will take longer. The comparison will detect the differences between the files in your two folders. You can tell the program to display all the files present in both folders, or only those that show differences. Besides, you can select which files you want to synchronize and which not, on a file by file basis.

Next, you can filter the file list by creation date, by file size, by include/exclude list, though this is an optional step. This feature is very useful if you want to synchronize a specific type of files or your recently modified ones only, for example. Finally, you can proceed to synchronize your selected files, though this step can also be configured beforehand. You can select among four synchronization modes – Two Way, Mirror, Update, and Custom. Furthermore, you can also select what to do with the removed files: delete them permanently, move them to the Recycle Bin, or keep a version history of them.

In short, FreeFileSync is a handy application that allows you to synchronize the contents of two folders in a fast and safe way. Even though it may take you a while to get familiar with the program's user interface, once you get used to it, you will find it easy to make the most of this interesting free tool.