{"id":"data-transfers.is-data-transfers-real-time-sync","url":"/faq/data-transfers/is-data-transfers-real-time-sync","category":{"id":"data-transfers","title":"Data Transfers"},"subcategory":{"id":"scheduling","title":"Scheduling transfers"},"question":"Does Data Transfers sync changes in real time?","alt_questions":["continuous sync storage studio","live sync folder to cloud","instant sync when file changes","does sync run automatically when I save","real-time two way sync mac"],"short_answer":"No. Transfers run when you start them or on a schedule (as often as every hour), picking up changes since the last run. For near-instant mirroring between two of your Macs, use Collab Sync.","answer_markdown":"No. A transfer runs when you start it or when its schedule comes round — the most frequent schedule is every hour. Changes made in between are picked up on the next run.\n\nIf you want a folder kept the same on two of your Macs within seconds of each save, **Collab Sync** does that over a direct link between the two Macs, with no cloud in between.\n\nRelated: [Schedule a transfer](/faq/data-transfers/schedule-a-recurring-transfer) · [Bidirectional sync or Collab Sync?](/faq/data-transfers/bidirectional-sync-vs-collab-sync)","answer_html":"

No. A transfer runs when you start it or when its schedule comes round — the most frequent schedule is every hour. Changes made in between are picked up on the next run.

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If you want a folder kept the same on two of your Macs within seconds of each save, Collab Sync does that over a direct link between the two Macs, with no cloud in between.

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Related: Schedule a transfer · Bidirectional sync or Collab Sync?

","answer_text":"No. A transfer runs when you start it or when its schedule comes round — the most frequent schedule is every hour. Changes made in between are picked up on the next run.\n\nIf you want a folder kept the same on two of your Macs within seconds of each save, Collab Sync does that over a direct link between the two Macs, with no cloud in between.\n\nRelated: Schedule a transfer · Bidirectional sync or Collab Sync?","tags":["real time","schedule","sync"],"related":[{"id":"data-transfers.schedule-a-recurring-transfer","question":"How do I schedule a transfer to run automatically?","url":"/faq/data-transfers/schedule-a-recurring-transfer"},{"id":"data-transfers.bidirectional-sync-vs-collab-sync","question":"Should I use Bidirectional sync or Collab Sync to keep a folder the same on two Macs?","url":"/faq/data-transfers/bidirectional-sync-vs-collab-sync"},{"id":"data-transfers.every-n-hours-timing","question":"When does an “Every N hours” transfer run?","url":"/faq/data-transfers/every-n-hours-timing"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"Does Data Transfers sync changes in real time? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"No. Transfers run when you start them or on a schedule (as often as every hour), picking up changes since the last run. For near-instant mirroring between two of your Macs, use Collab Sync.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Data Transfers","path":"/faq/data-transfers/"},{"name":"Does Data Transfers sync changes in real time?","path":"/faq/data-transfers/is-data-transfers-real-time-sync"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/data-transfers/is-data-transfers-real-time-sync","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Does Data Transfers sync changes in real time?","alternateName":["continuous sync storage studio","live sync folder to cloud","instant sync when file changes","does sync run automatically when I save","real-time two way sync mac"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No. A transfer runs when you start it or when its schedule comes round — the most frequent schedule is every hour. Changes made in between are picked up on the next run.\n\nIf you want a folder kept the same on two of your Macs within seconds of each save, Collab Sync does that over a direct link between the two Macs, with no cloud in between.\n\nRelated: Schedule a transfer · Bidirectional sync or Collab Sync?","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/data-transfers/is-data-transfers-real-time-sync"}}]},"fragment":"
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Data Transfers · Scheduling transfers

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Does Data Transfers sync changes in real time?

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Short answer: No. Transfers run when you start them or on a schedule (as often as every hour), picking up changes since the last run. For near-instant mirroring between two of your Macs, use Collab Sync.

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No. A transfer runs when you start it or when its schedule comes round — the most frequent schedule is every hour. Changes made in between are picked up on the next run.

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If you want a folder kept the same on two of your Macs within seconds of each save, Collab Sync does that over a direct link between the two Macs, with no cloud in between.

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Related: Schedule a transfer · Bidirectional sync or Collab Sync?

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Last reviewed

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