EF AutoSync 24.08

Overview

When you want to keep your data synchronized between two places, then you can’t just keep transferring files manually every time a change occurs. You should use a sync tool like EF Autosync, which can do that and a lot more automatically, without any significant action from your part. You can perform synchronization operations between directories, external hard disks or USB drives and any storage media device in general.

Installation

Installation couldn't be easier. Just run the installer, adjust the settings you see on the screen (very basic ones, like language and shortcuts) and begin the operation.

No viruses, adware and other types of malware are included in the setup package. In addition, no 3^rd-party application is bundled within the program either (e.g. toolbars).

Supported operating systems are Windows 95/98/ME (separate installer), Windows NT 4 (separate installer) and Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 (separate installer). The product’s website also offers a portable ZIP of the software that requires no installation.

Interface

There’s no actual interface since every option and feature is found in the right-click menu of the program’s tray icon, however you can access the Jobs window which lists all existing backup jobs. It’s very plain and only has a toolbar with some buttons at the top (Open, Save, Add menu, Add menu separator, Add new, Edit, Remove, Move up and Move down); the rest of the screen is just the list of available backup jobs.

A window will open when you create a new backup job and has various options, including filters and synchronization settings. Of course the first thing you have to do before playing with those options is select the synchronization folders.

Pros

You can select any two directories in your computer and let EF Autosync keep them synchronized. Those directories can be any folders in your computer, whether they are folders in your disk or folders in a USB flash disk. You can create multiple backup jobs, each one having its own settings and synchronizing different folders at different times.

After choosing left and right folders you may start configuring the sync settings. You can select to add new files from left to right or from right to left, update files from left to right or from right to left, delete orphan files/folders into the left or right side, copy conflict files to the right side, copy different files to the right side, and adjust a few other settings too. You can also define how you want the two folders to be compared; you can compare them by content, ignore dates and treat the date of two files the same if their time difference is smaller than two seconds or 1 hour.

Filters are supported too; you can define the file extensions to be synced or excluded, adjust date/time files were modified, file size and attributes (archive, read-only, system and hidden).

Settings can be backed up and restored.

Cons

The program freezes often and it doesn't support FTP synchronization tasks.

Alternatives

Syncovery (paid) is a powerful and fully-featured synchronization software that supports all kinds of sync operations, from simple folder synchronization in your disk to FTP, HTTP and Amazon S3 sync tasks. Other backup programs are Cobian Backup (free), Duplicati (free), PureSync (paid) and Uranium Backup (freemium).

Conclusion

A simple program with basic functionality that can be used for casual synchronization needs.