Syncthing for PC: How to Download and Install on Windows (2026 Guide)

Cloud sync services are convenient, but they come with storage limits, monthly fees and one uncomfortable fact: your files sit on someone else’s server. Syncthing takes the opposite approach. It synchronizes folders directly between your own computers — privately, encrypted, and with no central server in the middle — and it does it for free.

This guide shows you how to download Syncthing for PC from its official website, set it up on Windows 11 or 10, and sync your first folder between two devices. Syncthing is free and open source, so the only thing to get right is downloading the genuine program from the official source.

What Is Syncthing?

Syncthing is a free, open-source continuous file synchronization program. You install it on each computer you want to keep in step, tell it which folders to share, and it keeps those folders identical across all of them in near real time. Add a file on your laptop and it appears on your desktop; edit a document at home and the change travels to your office PC — all without uploading anything to a cloud company’s servers.

Each device has its own cryptographic identity, and no device can join your sync group unless you explicitly approve it. Connections are encrypted with TLS, and Syncthing finds your other devices on the local network automatically, or over the internet via discovery and relay servers that pass only encrypted traffic. You manage everything through a clean web interface in your browser.

Key Features

True peer-to-peer sync: Files travel directly between your devices. There is no central server storing your data, so there is nothing to hack, subpoena or shut down.
Encrypted and authenticated: All connections use TLS encryption with perfect forward secrecy, and every device is identified by a cryptographic certificate — only devices you approve can connect.
File versioning: Keep old versions of changed files with trash-can, simple or staggered versioning, so an accidental edit or deletion is never final.
Flexible folder types: Set each folder to Send & Receive, Send Only (for a master copy others cannot change) or Receive Only (for a pure backup target).
Cross-platform: Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD and Android, so a mixed household of devices can all sync together.
Works anywhere: Syncs over your local network at full LAN speed, and over the internet without port forwarding or manual IP addresses thanks to automatic discovery and relays.
Web-based control: A responsive local web GUI shows sync status, transfer speeds and device health, and can be password-protected for extra safety.

System Requirements

Operating System: Windows 11 or Windows 10 (64-bit recommended; Windows 7/8 also work with the standard build)
Processor: Any modern Intel or AMD CPU
RAM: 1 GB minimum; 2 GB recommended for very large sync folders
Storage: Around 30 MB for the program, plus enough free space for the folders you sync
Display: Any — Syncthing is managed through your web browser
Network: A local network or internet connection for devices to reach each other
Internet: Required for the download, and for syncing devices outside your home network

How to Download Syncthing (Official Method)

Syncthing is free and open source, and the genuine Windows build is published on the official Syncthing website, syncthing.net, which links to the project’s official releases. Do not take Syncthing from download portals or random mirrors — for software that will hold copies of your personal files, the trusted source matters.

Official Website: Download Syncthing from the official website

Step-by-Step Installation

Open the official Syncthing downloads page linked above.
Under Windows, download the 64-bit package (syncthing-windows-amd64) — the standard choice for modern PCs.
Save the ZIP file to your Downloads folder.
Right-click the ZIP and choose Extract All, then move the extracted syncthing folder somewhere permanent, such as C:\Syncthing.
Open the folder and double-click syncthing.exe. If Windows Firewall asks, allow it on private networks so your devices can find each other.
Your browser opens the Syncthing web interface at 127.0.0.1:8384 (if not, open that address yourself).
In the interface, open Actions > Settings and set a GUI username and password to protect the control panel.

Tip: The official downloads page also lists a community-maintained Windows installer that adds a system-tray icon and auto-start; the plain official build above works fine on its own and starts syncing as soon as it runs.

How to Sync Your First Folder Between Two PCs

Install and start Syncthing on the second computer as well, and open its web interface.
On your first PC, click Actions > Show ID and copy this device’s long Device ID.
On the second PC, click “Add Remote Device,” paste the ID, give the device a name, and save.
Back on the first PC, accept the connection request when it appears.
On either PC, click “Add Folder,” choose the folder you want to share, and under Sharing tick the other device.
On the other PC, accept the shared folder, choose where it should live, and watch the files synchronize — the folder status will climb to “Up to Date.”

Is Syncthing Free? The Open-Source Terms Explained

Yes — Syncthing is completely free and open source, released under the Mozilla Public License 2.0. There is no paid edition, no storage limit to upgrade past, no trial and no account to create; the program you download is the whole program, for home and work use alike.

The project is stewarded by the Syncthing Foundation and developed in the open, funded by donations rather than subscriptions. Your only “cost” is the disk space on your own machines. If a website charges for Syncthing, it is not the real source: it is always free from syncthing.net.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Syncthing safe to download?
Yes — as long as you download it only from the official website, syncthing.net. Syncthing is a well-established open-source project whose code anyone can inspect, and its design is privacy-first: transfers are encrypted, devices must be explicitly approved, and no copy of your files is ever stored on a third-party server. Avoid unofficial mirrors and repackaged installers.

Does Syncthing need the internet or a cloud account?
No. Devices on the same Wi-Fi or wired network sync directly over the LAN with no internet at all. Over the internet it can still work without any account, using encrypted connections and relays that cannot read your data.

How many devices and folders can I sync?
As many as you like. There is no device limit and no folder-size limit — the only limits are your own disk space and network speed.

What happens if I delete a file by mistake?
Deleting a file on one device normally deletes it everywhere, which is why versioning matters: turn on file versioning for a folder (trash-can mode is a good start) and deleted or overwritten files are kept in a versions folder so you can recover them.

Conclusion

Syncthing is cloud sync without the cloud: your folders stay identical across all your computers, encrypted end to end, with no fees, no storage caps and no third party holding your data. Download it from the official website, pair your devices, and your files will quietly follow you from machine to machine.

Download Syncthing from the Official Website

Syncthing for PC: How to Download and Install on Windows (2026 Guide)