Desktop sync app
The ScaiDrive desktop app keeps a folder on your computer in two-way sync with a share on the server. Edit a file locally, it appears on the server seconds later — and vice versa. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Installing#
Download the installer for your platform from your organization's ScaiDrive download page:
- Windows —
.msiinstaller - macOS —
.dmg, drag to Applications - Linux —
.deb,.rpm, or AppImage
After install, launch ScaiDrive and sign in with your organization SSO. The app opens a browser tab to complete the sign-in flow; once authenticated, you're returned to the app.
Choosing what to sync#
After signing in, the Add share dialog lists every share you have access to. For each share you want to sync:
- Pick a local folder (defaults to
~/ScaiDrive/<share-name>). - Choose everything or selective sync (a subset of subfolders).
- Click Add.
The first sync downloads all files in the share to your chosen folder. After that, changes flow both ways automatically.
You can sync multiple shares to different local folders; each is managed independently.
Tray icon#
The ScaiDrive icon lives in your menu bar (macOS) or system tray (Windows / Linux). The icon shows status:
| Icon state | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Solid | Idle, everything in sync |
| Animated | Sync in progress |
| Badge | Conflict or error needs attention |
Click the icon for quick actions: open sync folder, pause/resume, view recent activity, settings, sign out.
Pause and resume#
Click the tray icon → Pause sync to stop transferring (useful on a slow connection or before a big upload). Resume picks up where it left off — no full re-scan.
Selective sync#
Open Settings → Sync to change which subfolders of a share are kept locally. Files in unsynced folders stay on the server; if you change your mind, tick the folder again and the missing files download.
Conflicts#
If you and a colleague edit the same file at the same time, the server detects the conflict. By default ScaiDrive keeps both versions: yours becomes report (conflict 2026-05-12).docx next to the original. You can change the policy in Settings → Sync (last-writer-wins, keep-both, manual review). See Sync model for the technical detail.
File-on-demand (Windows / macOS)#
On Windows 10+ and macOS 12+ the desktop app integrates with the OS file provider. Files in your sync folder appear in Explorer or Finder with a cloud icon; opening one downloads it on demand. Right-click → Make available offline to keep it cached locally; Free up space removes the local copy but keeps the placeholder.
Camera upload#
In Settings → Backup you can select a local folder (e.g., a camera-import folder) and a destination share. New files added there are uploaded automatically.
Search#
The desktop app has a built-in search window (tray menu → Search). It hits the same keyword and semantic search as the web client — but you can launch it from anywhere with a keyboard shortcut.
Signing out#
Tray menu → Sign out. Your local sync folder stays on disk; sync stops until you sign back in.
What's next#
- Mobile apps.
- Sync model — what's happening under the hood.