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How to save disk space with Space-Saving Mode in Qsync Client 5.0.6 Windows, 5.0.5 macOS or later versions

Last modified date: 2022-10-31

Space-Saving Mode

This only applies to Qsync Client 5.0.6 Windows (5.0.5 Mac) or later and requires Windows 10 version 1909 or above for Windows users.

Space-Saving Mode allows you to view files without downloading them to your device. You can download files only when you need to open and edit them. Space-Saving Mode allows you to save disk space on your computer, synchronize files faster, and avoid a server overload.

After enabling Space-Saving Mode, you can change online-only or locally available files to files that are always available. For more information regarding file statuses after enabling Space-Saving Mode, refer to the following table:

Table 1. File Statuses

Status

Description

Online-only

You can see the files on your computer, but the files do not take up space. The file is not downloaded to your device until you open it. Newly created files on the NAS will appear locally as Online-only files. For details on changing the file status, see Changing Space-Saving Mode File Status.

Note:

  • Online-only files are flagged with an icon.

  • If your device is not connected to the Internet, you cannot open Online-only files.

Locally available

You can see and edit files on your computer. These files take up space. After opening an online-only file, the file becomes locally available. A locally available file may become online-only if Free up space is performed or Windows Storage Sense is activated.

For more information on Free up space, see Freeing Up Space

Note:

  • Free up space can be perfomed manually or automatically to convert locally available files to online-only.

  • Locally available files are flagged with an icon.

  • If your device is not connected to the Internet, you can still open locally available files.

Always available

You can see and edit files on your computer. The files are downloaded to your computer and take up disk space.

Note:

  • Files that are always available are flagged with an icon.

  • If your device is not connected to the Internet, you can still open these files.

Depending on your operating system, Space-Saving Mode has specific folder restrictions. Qsync Client allows Space-Saving Mode for the following folder types.

Table 2. Folder Type Requirements

Windows

macOS

  • Folders on NTFS drives.

  • Any folder that is not a C:\ or D:\ drive root directory or the Windows home directory (\user\username).

  • Any folder that is not a parent or child folder of OneDrive’s files-on-demand synchronization, iCloud Drive, Dropbox and Qsync’s Space-Saving Mode.
Important:

Space-Saving Mode and Smart Delete File Management cannot be enabled at the same time. Enabling Space-Saving Mode automatically disables Smart Delete File Management.

Enabling Space-Saving Mode

  1. Open Qsync Client.
    Note:

    Ensure you are on Qsync Client's main page. If you are accessing Qsync Client from the toolbar, click to go to the main page.

  2. Click View and manage pair folders.

    The Manage paired folders window opens.

  3. Click Add.
    Tip:

    To enable Space-Saving Mode on existing paired folders, click .

    The Select folders to sync window opens.

  4. Under Space-Saving Mode, select Enable.
  5. Click Apply.

Changing Space-Saving Mode File Status

After enabling Space-Saving Mode, you can right-click a file or folder and select Space-Saving Mode to change the file status. For information on these statuses, go to Space-Saving Mode.

  1. Right-click on a file or folder and select Space-Saving Mode.
  2. Select one of the following options:
    Table 1. Space-Saving Mode Options For Files

    Option

    Description

    Select Always keep on this device

    Files become always available.

    Unselect Always keep on this device

    Always available files become locally available

    Free up space

    • Files become online-only.

    • Always keep on this device become unselected.
    Table 2. Space-Saving Mode Options For Folders

    Option

    Description

    Select Always keep on this device

    • All files in the folder become always available.

    • Files added to the NAS folder will be synced and always available.

    Unselect Always keep on this device

    • Files added to the NAS folder will appear locally as online-only.

    • Always available files in the folder become locally available

    • Online-only and locally available files in the folder will not change.

    Free up space

    • All files in the folder become online-only.

    • Always keep on this device become unselected.

Freeing Up Space

When Space-Saving Mode is enabled for a paired folder, you can reduce the size of synced files by freeing up space. When freeing up space, locally available files will become online-only. Files with an always available status will not be affected. Freeing up space can be done automatically or manually by using the settings below.

Note:

Windows Storage Sense can also be used on Windows computers to automatically free up space. For more information, see https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/use-onedrive-and-storage-sense-in-windows-10-to-manage-disk-space-de5faa9a-6108-4be1-87a6-d90688d08a48.

  1. Open Qsync Client.
  2. Click Settings.

    The Settings window opens.

  3. Click Free up space.
  4. Select Free up space automatically:.
    1. Select one of the following options:

      Option

      Description

      When space is less than

      Space will be freed up when free disk space is less than the selected percentage. Free disk space is checked every 24 hours.

      By frequency

      Space will be freed up periodically by the selected frequency.
  5. Optional: Click Free Up Space Now.

    Qsync Client frees up space.

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