Do you have a lot of files on different devices that you would like to pull into one place? Here’s how you can quickly sync files across multiple devices.
The average American household contains 11 connected devices, seven of which have screens for content-watching.
As such, you probably have a full fleet of laptops, desktop computers, tablets and smartphones. And you want to make them even more useful than they already are — you want to sync files across all of these devices.
Of course, this process isn’t always an intuitive one, despite how user-friendly modern electronics can be. But it can be done, and we have the tips on how to do it.
Here’s what you need to know.
Start With Email
It’s easy enough to sync your email across multiple devices.
If you access your email through a web browser, then you have to log onto the internet to have access to all of your devices. On smartphones and tablets, you can make that even more effortless by downloading your email provider’s app. For example, you might add the Outlook or Gmail app to your device.
After that, emails will come through to all of your devices, keeping you effortlessly up-to-date.
Next, Pick a File Syncing Service
File synchronization becomes so much easier when you invest in a file syncing service for your electronic devices.
You’ve probably heard of some of these cloud-based providers, including Dropbox, OneDrive and Google Drive. Others have compared the pros and cons of these platforms. You should do the same before selecting the one that suits your needs.
Your chosen provider will sync files in the background while you work on your electronic device. How it works will, of course, depend on the cloud service you choose.
For instance, you typically have to drag and drop files into your Dropbox so that you have access to them on another device. Meanwhile, Google Drive tracks your document changes and makes those available on all of your electronics through which you access it.
So, you can access your files across all of your devices. You just have to make sure you save your documents to your chosen platform. If you save them to your computer desktop, for example, they won’t be available on your phone.
Use the Same Browser Everywhere
Another way to unify your devices is by using the same browser on all of them.
You can log in to Google Chrome, for example, which will sync all of your web-browsing data across your devices. So, if you want to find bookmarks or your web history, you can do so on all of your logged-in electronics.
Other browsers offer this service, too. So, if you prefer Firefox, Brave or Vivaldi, you can reap the same benefits. And most will provide password-protected access to your browser data, which means your web history is for your eyes only.
Sync Personal Files, Too
Of course, not all of your file syncing has to do with documents, web history or emails. You might want to preserve your personal data, too.
You can use the above steps to safeguard your photos, music, creative projects and other files. Some devices make it very simple for you to do so.
Let’s say you have an iPhone, MacBook and iPad. If you log in with your Apple ID on all of your devices, you’ll have instant access to your cloud-based files on all of the devices. So, you can see all of your pictures in your iCloud library on any device
Your Apple phone will coordinate your music library, contacts, payment information and more. If you don’t have Apple products, you can still synchronize your files with the aforementioned apps or similarly built-in sharing — Windows PCs and phones can sync, for example.
Store Your Passwords
One of the hardest things about having multiple devices is logging into all of the same apps and websites. Unless you have the same password for everything — which you shouldn’t for security reasons — it can be tough to remember every cryptic login you have.
You can sync passwords just as easily as you sync files, though. And you can sign up for a service like 1Password, which will keep all of your passwords stored and secure. When you need them, you can get them on any device.
For some, that may be the final frontier of file syncing. But if you want one more added security for your file synchronization process, read onto our last recommendation.
Sync Files Offline, Too
For a bit of extra security, you can sync your devices to an offline hard drive or flash drive. Not only does this protect your files, but it gives you an easy way to sync data before you set up the above platforms or sharing systems.
For example, you can save a document to your flash drive, then plug that flash drive into another one of the devices in your fleet. That way, you can see the most updated version and continue improving it. Then, you’ll re-save it to the USB until you’re finished with it.
Obviously, this isn’t the quickest way to sync files across your devices. But it’s a reliable option and one that can work in a pinch.
You might want to back up your files offline for additional peace of mind. If so, invest in a hard drive and regularly back it up so that you can restore any of your devices.
Achieve Uniformity and Peace of Mind
Once you know how to sync files across your devices, you’ll have the user-friendliness you seek. Plus, you’ll have peace of mind — all of your data will be safe and secure. In a tech-centric world, those are two essential things to have, so get started today.
Need more tips to make your life easier? Check out the lifestyle section of our site for more.