Manage Lite Sync kDrive (Windows) option

This guide details the Lite Sync option of the desktop app kDrive (desktop application on Windows).

Preamble

• Lite Sync saves space by virtually storing your kDrive files on your computer, downloading them only when necessary.
• Files are always accessible from the web app kDrive (online service) kdrive.infomaniak.com) but locally they are present in a "dehydrated" way, requiring a loading time to be fully accessible.
• This allows you to view, complete and synchronize the contents of kDrive without saturating the hard drive.
• Lite Sync always works:
  • on a specific kDrive (in case you synchronize several on the application).
  • and on the fullness of the kDrive (or the fullness of an advanced synchronization).
  • and via a specific kDrive app (another user of the same kDrive can make a Lite Sync choice different from yours).

Enable Lite Sync option

Prerequisites & scope of use of Lite Sync

• OS Windows version ≥ 10 (21h2)
• not available with Linux
• 64-bit processor (ARM64 compatible)
• NTFS file storage system
• App kDrive Windows version ≥ 3.4

The Lite Sync option can be enabled when installing the application (this is offered to you) or later:

1. Click left on the app icon in the notification area of your computer (bottom right on Windows).
2. Click on the action menu to the right of the kDrive window.
3. Select KDrive Settings.
4. Click the button in the part Synchronization to activate the Lite Sync.

Cloud icon will appear to the right of the synchro name on the application, indicating that the Lite Sync is enabled. If the cloud icon barred displays, this means that the Lite Sync is not activated:

Always keep on this device

Once the Lite Sync is activated, you can still make a folder and its subfolders available locally or only one or more subfolders:

1. From Windows Explorer, place on a folder synchronized with kDrive and right-click.
2. Select the Always keep option on this device under kDrive:
   

Free from space

Conversely, once the Lite Sync is activated, you can free space in a folder and its subfolders or only in one or more subfolders.

1. From Windows Explorer, place on a folder synchronized with kDrive and right-click
2. Select the Free Space option under kDrive:
   

Example of use #1 (storage space required)

If you activate Lite Sync, the occupied space (e.g. 900GB) on the Infomaniak server will be released on your hard drive but the opposite is also true (e.g. 900GB free space required on your hard drive if the Lite Sync option is activated on the way).

"Dehydration" of files

As explained in the preamble, a dehydrated file is a kDrive file whose full version is not present on the hard drive and instead it is a 1-K shortcut that appears, normal behavior when Lite Sync is enabled.

In some cases (e.g. if you copy files from your hard drive while Lite Sync is enabled, and you start syncing to a new kDrive) the application will block the import of this type of file. To resolve these errors you can download the full file from the web app kDrive (online service) kdrive.infomaniak.com).

Example of use #2 (summary of icons)

Hard drive files synchronized with Lite Sync option, everything is in the cloud (on your remote kDrive online):

Disabling the LiteSync option, the "physical" synchronization starts:

Synchronization completed, the files have been downloaded to your computer and then have the appropriate icon:

To sum up, here are the status icons that are used in your Windows Explorer:

Status icons	Files	Folders
= in line	The file exists on online kDrive and is only virtually on your hard drive; to view it locally you will need to download it	The folder contains at least one file or subfolder not physically present
= Off line	Lite Sync does not work properly (contact support)	Lite Sync does not work properly (contact support)
= always available	The file exists on kDrive online and also physically on your hard drive	The folder contains only files and subfolders without Lite Sync
= available on this device	The file exists on online kDrive and is only virtually on your hard drive for reasons decided by Windows (e.g. lack of space)	The folder contains local and temporary files and subfolders
= synchronization	Synchronization is ongoing or pending	Synchronization is ongoing or pending
= download in progress	The progress bar indicates an ongoing download	The progress bar indicates an ongoing download

Disable Lite Sync option

To this end:

1. Click left on the app icon in the notification area of your computer (bottom right on Windows).
2. Click on the action menu to the right of the kDrive window.
3. Select KDrive Settings.
4. Click the button in the part Synchronization to disable the Lite Sync.
5. There are two possible situations:
   1. If there is enough space on your computer a message confirming deactivation is displayed, just click Continue.
   2. If there is not enough space on your computer, a message will indicate the missing space to enable the Lite Sync to be deactivated; the synchronization of your kDrive will be paused for the time to select the files to synchronize on your computer.