Syncthing: Freedom from Google Photos

Posted on: 06 Jan 2024

At the moment of deciding to get rid of my Google storage, I needed a way to have all my files synced together. Google offered 15 GB or something similar. I could have it synced across all my devices, but I am not interested in that. I want nothing to do with Google, OneDrive, or Dropbox.

This is when I discovered Syncthing. It’s quite impressive. It is a peer-to-peer file-sharing system that allows you to share files between your devices. Modern devices come with hundreds of GB of memory, so whatever folder you want to sync between devices, like your camera folder, can be synced across them. It works over Wi-Fi or any other connection. The only requirement is that both devices need to be on and connected to the internet.

I use this to sync my notes, photos, and all other important items across devices, and the only limitation is your internal memory.

It is not perfect. I have noticed certain issues, such as the version control being annoying. Additionally, sometimes the app is not running, which prevents my files from syncing. Therefore, ensure that all of these things are active and enjoy freedom from Google.

How to use

Simply download it from their website. Read this article, and you are all set. It’s amazing.