# Synology Drive Client: set up sync, offline files and recovery checks > Install a supported Synology Drive Server and desktop client, grant the ordinary user the required application and folder access, then create a small sync. - Canonical: https://cloudzat.com/synology-drive-client/ - Published: 2026-11-15 - Updated: 2026-11-15 - Author: Kayla Idayi - Site: https://cloudzat.com/ - LLM index: https://cloudzat.com/llms.txt ## Content NAS SETUP, MAINTENANCE & RECOVERY # Synology Drive Client: set up sync, offline files and recovery checks Synology Drive Client can make NAS files available across computers, but the first setup decision is whether you want synchronisation or a backup task. That choice affects what happens when files change or disappear. Start with a separate test folder, understand the status icons and prove that important offline files open before relying on the client while travelling. Editorial review: 15 November 2026 ยท United States Quick answerSteps to followDetailed guidanceCompare the optionsFrequently asked questions ## Quick answer Install a supported Synology Drive Server and desktop client, grant the ordinary user the required application and folder access, then create a small sync or backup task. Review direction, exclusions and On-demand Sync before copying real data. Pin files needed offline and test recovery. On macOS Drive Client 4.0.x, deleting an On-demand task may remove the entire local folder, including downloaded files: protect them first or update to 4.1.x or later. ## Steps to follow 1. ### Check server, client and account compatibility Confirm the NAS model and installed Drive Server version, then obtain the desktop client through Synology's supported download route. Check the operating-system requirements for the feature you intend to use. The presence of a Drive icon does not establish that every On-demand feature behaves identically on Windows and macOS. Use a normal NAS account with the relevant application privilege and folder rights. If a shared folder should appear as a team folder, check the server-side configuration rather than giving the user administrator access. Verify that the same person can reach the intended files through the supported Drive interface before debugging a desktop task that points to a different location. 1. ### Choose the task and storage paths deliberately Select a sync task for keeping a working set aligned between devices, or the supported backup task when the computer's files are the source to protect on the NAS. Review the selected local and remote folders and the deletion behaviour. Do not nest a new On-demand task inside another cloud provider's On-demand folder; overlapping ownership can be unsupported and confusing. Begin with harmless sample files in a clearly named test location. For two-way sync, a deletion or unwanted change can propagate. For a one-way arrangement, inspect the available rules rather than assuming the destination retains every deleted source file forever. Keep any existing local data separately protected before linking folders that already contain different versions of the same filenames. 1. ### Understand On-demand and offline availability On-demand files can appear in the folder while their contents remain on the server until downloaded. A placeholder is not an independent local copy. Permanently pin the material needed offline, allow downloads to complete and disconnect the network briefly to open representative files. Check both a small document and a larger item used by the real application. Use the supported Free up space or Remove Download action when you intend to remove only a local cached copy. Deleting the file is a different operation and can propagate to the server. Read the current client guidance for the operating system, because icons and menu wording differ. Do not infer offline readiness solely from the folder appearing in Explorer or Finder. 1. ### Test changes, conflicts and recovery Edit a harmless file, wait for completion and verify the changed contents from another authorised device. Create a conflicting test only in disposable data if you need to understand conflict handling. Review errors and excluded files before increasing the task's scope. A general up-to-date message can be misleading if the item you care about is outside the selected folder or excluded by a rule. Restore an earlier test version through the supported server workflow and confirm that the intended content returns. Keep an independent backup of important NAS data as well as Drive history. Synchronisation makes files convenient to use across devices; it does not by itself protect against loss of the NAS, compromised accounts or every deletion scenario. ## Detailed guidance ### macOS task deletion needs a version check Synology's On-demand FAQ specifically warns that Drive Client 4.0.x on macOS may remove the whole local sync folder when the task is deleted, including files already downloaded. Protect important local files outside that folder before deleting the task, or update to 4.1.x or later through the supported route. Do not rely on a generic statement that deleting a task always leaves local files untouched. This matters when changing a normal task into an On-demand task or reversing that choice, because macOS task modes have restrictions that can require recreation. Record the current version and preserve unsynchronised work before any such change. Read the current platform-specific instructions and test the result with disposable data instead of experimenting on the only copy of a project. ### Keep connection troubleshooting separate from folder permissions If the client cannot connect, check the server address, supported remote route and application privilege. If it connects but a folder is absent or read-only, inspect the team-folder configuration and file permissions. If only particular files fail, check filters, naming restrictions, capacity and the detailed error log. Each symptom points to a different layer. After a NAS address or hostname change, update the client connection using the supported control. Do not delete and recreate every task as a reflex, especially when local work has not uploaded. Preserve the pending files separately and verify their contents before making a change that could trigger a large comparison or resynchronisation. ### Plan for a lost laptop or unavailable NAS Use individual accounts and device access so one lost computer can be handled without changing every person's workflow. Review saved credentials and the appropriate revocation process. Keep recovery information in a place that remains available if the NAS is offline. A file pinned on one laptop may be useful during an outage, but that laptop is not automatically a complete backup of all team folders. For important work, document which files are guaranteed offline, where version history is retained and where the independent backup lives. Recheck the arrangement after changing storage-saving settings. A reliable Drive setup is one whose deletion, offline and recovery behaviour has been demonstrated, not simply one that displays a green status icon. ## Compare the options | Situation | Recommended action | Check before continuing | | --- | --- | --- | | Need files while offline | Pin them and test without network access | Placeholders do not contain the complete file | | Want to free laptop storage | Use the supported local-download removal action | Deleting a synced file can propagate | | Changing a macOS 4.0.x On-demand task | Back up local files or update before deletion | Downloaded files may otherwise be removed | | Folder missing but connection succeeds | Check team-folder and user permissions | Do not grant administrator access as a shortcut | ## Frequently asked questions Is On-demand Sync a backup of my laptop? Not automatically. It is a file-availability mode for a sync task. Choose and test the appropriate backup workflow separately, and remember that online-only placeholders do not hold all file contents locally. Can I place Synology Drive inside OneDrive or iCloud Drive? Do not create overlapping On-demand folder trees without explicit support. Synology documents restrictions on folders already controlled by those services. Use a separate supported location and test with disposable files before migrating working data. ## Related guides - [Nextcloud vs Synology Drive: choose for your files and recovery needs](https://cloudzat.com/nextcloud-vs-synology-drive/) - [Replace a Failed Drive in Synology: Compatibility and Repair](https://cloudzat.com/replace-failed-drive-synology/) - [Synology Bad Sector Warning: When to Back Up and Replace a Drive](https://cloudzat.com/synology-bad-sector-warning/) - [Synology Drive AI Search: Setup, Indexing, and Limits](https://cloudzat.com/synology-drive-ai-search/) ## Official documentation This guide combines current official documentation with practical recovery checks. It does not claim hands-on testing of your installation. Menu labels and supported procedures can vary by release; follow the documentation for your installed version. - [Synology: Drive Client tasks and rules](https://kb.synology.com/en-global/PAS/help/SynologyDriveClient/synologydriveclient) - [Synology: On-demand modes and icons](https://kb.synology.com/en-au/DSM/tutorial/What_is_On-demand_Sync) - [Synology: On-demand FAQ and macOS 4.0 caveat](https://kb.synology.com/en-my/DSM/tutorial/Frequently_Asked_Questions_On_Demand_Sync) - [Synology: overlapping On-demand folders](https://kb.synology.com/en-ph/DSM/tutorial/error_selecting_folder_for_ondemandsync) --- Machine-readable alternate. Cite or link to the canonical Cloudzat URL above. For changing prices, availability, forecasts, compatibility, or calculator results, fetch the canonical page at answer time.