This guide explains how to select the folders kDrive that need to be synchronized between your computer and the online kDrive version (webview).

Prerequisites

• Have kDrive
• Have the kDrive application on the device to synchronize
• Check the setting regarding synchronization limitation of large folders

Choosing kDrive Folders to Sync

To access the settings of the kDrive application on your computer:

1. Left-click on the kDrive app from the notification area of your computer (top right on macOS, bottom right on Windows, and double left-click on the taskbar on Linux)
2. Click on the icon ⋮ on the right side of the application
3. Click on kDrive Settings
4. Click on the icon to the left of your kDrive name to expand the list of folders
5. If necessary, expand the content of listed folders and check/uncheck the folders to synchronize with your computer
   
6. Click on the blue button Validate

Attention

When deselecting a folder from the list, a message next to the button from point 6 above warns you that a move of this folder will be performed to the trash of your computer. This is the folder that was in your kDrive tree on your computer. Folders on the kDrive online (webview) will not be affected, but you must ensure, before the operation, that the folder in question was properly synchronized and fully present in this online version (especially if you just placed it within your synchronized directory).

If in doubt, also ensure that your computer does not instantly erase too large items when they are placed in the trash, because of the size of the Windows trash, for example:

Add Advanced Synchronization

In the same place accessible according to the procedure above, click on Add Advanced Synchronization:
This will allow you to synchronize one or more new folder(s) from your hard drive with the location of your choice on kDrive.

Stop and Remove Synchronization

In the same place accessible according to the procedure above, click on the icon ⋮ on the right:

This will allow you to:

• Force synchronization
• Pause synchronization
• Delete synchronization (only from your device, without affecting your kDrive)

This guide details the installation of the kDrive Infomaniak application on a computer running a Linux operating system. It will then allow you to synchronize your files with your Drive.

Prerequisites

• Download the kDrive application for Linux (.AppImage file type)
• Fuse (required to run an AppImage)
• D-Bus
• gnome-keyring or kwallet (usually already present on your machine except with certain lightweight distributions)

Installation of kDrive on Linux

For this:

1. Place the file in a folder named for example "Applications"
2. Right-click on the file and choose Permissions
3. Check the box "Allow executing file as program"
4. Optional for Ubuntu: Add the file to "Startup Applications Preferences" so that kDrive runs at startup

This guide details how to share files and folders in kDrive with anyone you want, even without installing the kDrive app, even if the recipient does not have an Infomaniak account or does not yet use kDrive.

Prelude

• kDrive allows sharing content in several ways, notably by right-clicking on items or by using an email attachment in Infomaniak Mail to quickly propose viewing or modifying a file
• a drop box can also be shared
• the appearance of sharing windows can be customized

Share a file / folder on kDrive

For users to view, modify, download your content, you must designate who to share a kDrive file / folder with:

1. log in to the Infomaniak Manager (manager.infomaniak.com) from a web browser like Brave or Firefox
2. click on the ‍ icon in the upper right corner of the interface (or navigate using the left sidebar menu, e.g.)
3. select kDrive (collaborative tools section)
4. click on the name of the relevant item in the displayed table
5. the kDrive tree structure will be displayed
6. right-click on the relevant file / folder
7. click on Share... at the top of the dropdown menu

From here, it is possible to:

• either activate a public share link with various possible options (modification and download permissions, expiration date, password), and anyone with the link will be able to access the file
  
  • note: simply disabling / reactivating the public share link changes the URL and invalidates the previous one
• or enter a kDrive user, a contact from your address book, the email address of a new contact (or a work team if sharing occurs within the shared folder Common folders - see below)
  

An assistant allows you to set the rights of each person you add: viewing / modifying / managing (this "can manage" attribute is available only if sharing occurs within the shared folder Common folders - read "Permissions" below in the guide)

• the person whose email address you specify will receive an email with the necessary information to access your shared content
• if they do not have an Infomaniak account, they can create one for free to access, modify, and synchronize the shared items
• meanwhile, you will see the pending invitation and can revoke it at any time from the same location
• the private link appears whenever you go to the sharing sidebar menu, making it easy to copy and resend the link to authorized users

Click on the close button in the upper right corner of the modal if you are finished.

Create a public + editable share link

When you activate a share link on a Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file, it is possible to allow online editing of it:

All people who have access to this share link will then be able to immediately edit the file without having an Infomaniak account (just test the obtained URL in a private browsing session to verify the result).

Permissions

A share can be restricted. Choose if the user:

• Can view
  • View only
  • Download
  • Add comments
• Can modify
  • Modify the file
  • Download
  • Add comments
  • Add and create files / folders
  • Delete files / folders
• Can manage (only if sharing occurs within the shared folder Common folders and not in a personal folder)
  • Modify the file
  • Download
  • Add comments
  • Add and create files / folders
  • Delete the file
  • Share with other users
  • Manage user rights

Sharing indications are visible on kDrive in the "who has access" column, and any activated public link on a file is indicated by a green icon in this column:

The Common folders folder (e.g. "Common documents")

This folder is available with certain paid offers and allows you to share your data with all users of kDrive. Any new folder created inside with a choice of maximum sharing will be indicated as such to the right in the list of folders.

But a folder can also be created there with a restricted sharing (this is offered to you when creating a new folder or when you return to sharing that folder), and in this case, only authorized people will be able to see its content directly; users who have access are visible to the right in the list of folders:

 

Other users with access to Common folders will also be able to "force" access to a subfolder by either clicking on it and accepting the warning message or through the action menu on the right of the directory by choosing "Force access"; this will notify other users by email of the access undertaken:

Also read this guide regarding shares and shared folders.

This guide helps resolve a synchronization/import issue with the mobile app kDrive on Android devices from certain manufacturers (especially Chinese) that implement measures to optimize battery life. These measures can prevent applications like kDrive from functioning in the background.

kDrive needs to run in the background

When importing large files or multiple files into kDrive, this process may take several minutes. To ensure data import, the kDrive mobile app needs to be able to continue this task when you close the application or open another one. The automatic backup feature for photos in kDrive can also be disrupted if the app cannot run in the background.

Due to the power management policy of certain manufacturers, applications that are not part of their whitelist may be automatically stopped, preventing certain tasks from functioning properly.

Ensuring a mobile app runs in the background

You can work around this issue by following the instructions available in English on the don't kill my app website at dontkillmyapp.com:

• Asus
• Huawei
• Lenovo
• Meizu
• Oneplus
• Oppo
• Samsung
• Vivo
• Xiaomi

Don’t see your phone brand? It probably means your phone is not a problem.
 

This guide helps resolve cases where you notice that data from kDrive is not synchronized between your devices.

Missing folders on the computer

If everything seems to be fine:

• no interrupted synchronization
• no error messages
• you have the appropriate access rights when viewing them online (kdrive.infomaniak.com)

but you notice that:

• folders like Common folders for shared documents, or other directories, are not visible on your computer

check in the kDrive application installed on your computer the setting that limits synchronization of large folders (500 MB by default):

1. left click on the app icon in your computer's notification area (top right on macOS, bottom right on Windows, and double left click on the taskbar on Linux)
2. click on the action menu ⋮ on the right of the displayed window
3. click on kDrive Application Preferences
4. disable the toggle button to remove limits on the size of synchronized folders

then check in the kDrive application installed on your computer which folders you want to synchronize:

1. left click on the app icon in your computer's notification area (top right on macOS, bottom right on Windows, and double left click on the taskbar on Linux)
2. click on the action menu ⋮ on the right of the displayed window
3. click on kDrive Settings
4. click to the left of your synchronization name to expand the folder tree
5. enable the boxes for the folders that are not yet synchronized as desired
6. confirm with the blue button

The result will be that your local folder representing kDrive (named kDrive, or kDrive2, or something else) on the computer will finally display all the desired folders (after the necessary synchronization time).

Synchronization in progress (0/10) then paused

Check that the Windows Search service is not stopped. Proceed via the Run window (Win + R):

1. enter services.msc
2. click OK
   
3. locate Windows Search in the list of the Services window and enable it if it is not already:
   

Continuous synchronization (.eml files)

A Windows indexing issue may occur during kDrive synchronization of files with the .eml extension (a file type corresponding to email export). Therefore, you need to remove the eml type from the indexing options to resolve this issue:

1. open the Start menu and search for indexing options
2. click on Indexing Options (Control Panel)
   
3. click on the Advanced button
4. uncheck the box for the eml type
   ‍
5. confirm and close the windows

Adobe files synchronization

Adobe applications like Illustrator, Photoshop, Lightroom, etc., encounter issues when saving files (error messages in Adobe software, file duplication…) on kDrive. Therefore, it is best to avoid including Adobe files in synchronization.

Adobe explicitly states that it does not support cloud (Cloud) synchronization, external disks, and network drives.

This guide explains how to store the Joplin database on your kDrive Infomaniak and connect your various devices via the WebDAV protocol. This way, you keep your notes safely stored in a storage located in Switzerland.

Preface

• Joplin is a free and open-source note-taking tool that allows you to organize all your notes into folders and access them from any device (computer, mobile device, etc.).
• Joplin will store several of its configuration files, so to avoid cluttering your kDrive directories, it is advisable to create a dedicated folder in your personal structure on kDrive, with a simple folder name like "joplin" for example, and then specify it at the end of the WebDAV link in point 7 below.
  

Configure Joplin to use kDrive via WebDAV

Prerequisites

• download Joplin
• have a paid kDrive plan
• know your kDrive identifier (ID kDrive) (read this guide if necessary)

The example below is substantially identical across all versions of Joplin:

1. open the Joplin application
2. tap on the menu in the top left
   
3. tap on Configuration
   
4. tap on Synchronization
5. tap on the menu to select a target
6. choose the WebDAV mode
   
7. for the account settings, use the following information:
   1. Server address: https://IDkDrive.connect.kdrive.infomaniak.com/joplin (or /folder-name — read the preamble above)
   2. Username: email address used to log into your Infomaniak user account
   3. Password: application password if two-factor authentication is enabled or ‍your Infomaniak user account password if you have not enabled 2FA
8. tap on the synchronization test and wait for the connection confirmation below:
   
9. tap in the top left to return to the previous menu and tap on Sync to create the files on kDrive
   
10. return to the notes to start working

This guide provides instructions for synchronizing kDrive with a Synology NAS (or vice versa) via the WebDAV protocol found in the Cloud Sync application.

Prerequisites

• own a Synology NAS accessible from the Internet
• have a paid kDrive subscription
• know your kDrive identifier (kDrive ID) (read this guide if necessary)

Synchronize kDrive and Synology via Cloud Sync

To do this:

1. log in to the Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM)
2. if necessary, download and install the Cloud Sync app from the Package Center
3. open Cloud Sync
4. click the + at the bottom left to add a Cloud
5. choose WebDAV at the bottom of the list of available Clouds
   
6. for the account settings, use the following information:
    
   1. Server Address: https://IDkDrive.connect.kdrive.infomaniak.com (see prerequisites above)
   2. Username: email address used to log into the Infomaniak user account
   3. Password: application password if two-factor authentication is enabled or ‍your Infomaniak user account password if you have not enabled 2FA
7. choose the local folder, destination folder, and the desired synchronization type
   
    
   • Bidirectional: changes will be reflected in both directions
   • Download only remote changes: ideal for backing up kDrive on your NAS
   • Download only local changes: ideal for backing up data from your NAS to a kDrive

This guide details the Lite Sync option of the kDrive app on Windows computers.

What is the Lite Sync option?

The Lite Sync feature saves space by virtually storing your kDrive files on your computer, only downloading them when needed.

Files are always accessible from the web version of kDrive (Infomaniak server) and locally, they are present but "dehydrated," requiring a loading time to be fully accessible. This allows you to view, edit, and synchronize kDrive content without filling up the hard drive.

Example of use #1 (required storage space)

If you enable Lite Sync, the occupied space (e.g., 900 GB) on the Infomaniak server side will be freed up on your hard drive, but the reverse is also true (e.g., 900 GB free space required on your hard drive if Lite Sync is activated mid-process).

"Dehydration" of files

As explained earlier, a dehydrated file is a kDrive file whose full version is not present on the hard drive; instead, a 1 KB "shortcut" is displayed, which is normal behavior when Lite Sync is activated.

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

Prerequisites & scope of Lite Sync usage

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

The Lite Sync option always acts:

• on a specific kDrive (in case you synchronize multiple kDrives on the application)
• and on the entirety of the kDrive (or the entirety of an advanced synchronization)
• and through a specific kDrive application (another user of the same kDrive may make a different Lite Sync choice)

Enable the Lite Sync option

The Lite Sync option can be enabled during the application installation (you will be prompted) or later:

1. left-click 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 Synchronization section to enable Lite Sync

The cloud icon will appear to the right of a sync name in the application, indicating that Lite Sync is enabled. If the crossed-out cloud icon is displayed, it means that Lite Sync is not enabled:

Always keep on this device

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

1. from the Windows File Explorer, right-click on a folder synchronized with kDrive
2. select the option Always keep on this device under kDrive
   

Free up space

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

1. from the Windows File Explorer, right-click on a folder synchronized with kDrive
2. select the option Free up space under kDrive
   

Example of use #2 (summary of icons)

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

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

Sync completed, files have been downloaded to your computer and now have the appropriate icon:



To summarize, here are the status icons used in your Windows File Explorer:

Status Icons	Files	Folders
= online	The file exists on kDrive online and is only virtually on your hard drive; to view it locally, it must be downloaded	The folder contains at least one file or subfolder not physically present
= offline	Lite Sync is not working correctly (contact support)	Lite Sync is not working correctly (contact support)
= always available	The file exists on kDrive online and is also physically on your hard drive	The folder contains only files and subfolders without Lite Sync
= available on this device	The file exists on kDrive online 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 in progress or pending	Synchronization is in progress or pending
= downloading in progress	The progress bar indicates a download in progress	The progress bar indicates a download in progress

Disable the Lite Sync option

To do this:

1. left-click 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 Synchronization section to disable Lite Sync
5. two scenarios may occur:
   1. if there is enough space on your computer, a message confirming the deactivation will appear, just click Continue
   2. if there is not enough space on your computer, a message will indicate the missing space to allow Lite Sync deactivation; the synchronization of your kDrive will be paused while selecting the files to synchronize on your computer

This guide provides instructions for connecting to kDrive (paid plans only) using the WebDAV connection protocol.

Introduction

• Connecting via WebDAV is possible with kDrive's paid plans and allows, in particular:
  • to use your preferred WebDAV application instead of the official kDrive application.
  • to use kDrive as a synchronization base for a tool that would allow this via WebDAV (e.g., Joplin).
  • to access kDrive from your operating system's file manager.

Getting the ID (kDrive ID)

Prerequisites

• To have a paid kDrive plan (kDrive Free, kDrive Standard - even multi-user - plans are not WebDAV compatible).

To find your kDrive ID:

1. Click here to access the management of your product on the Infomaniak Manager (need help?).
2. Click directly on the name  assigned to the relevant product.
3. The kDrive structure will appear in the left sidebar menu.
4. The URL address  https://kdrive.infomaniak.com/app/drive/123456 displayed at the top of your browser contains a number:
   

This number (in the example 123456) is your kDrive ID (IDkDrive).

Thus, you will need to write https://IDkDrive‍.connect.kdrive.infomaniak.com whenever necessary (https://123456.connect.kdrive.infomaniak.com e.g., as the WebDAV address).

Connecting to kDrive via WebDAV…

… on Windows

To do this:

1. Open the File Explorer from the taskbar or Start menu.
2. Select This PC from the left pane.
3. In the Computer tab, select Add a network location:
   
4. Press Next.
5. Click on Choose a custom network location:
    
6. Press Next.
7. Enter the server address: https://IDkDrive.connect.kdrive.infomaniak.com
8. Press Next.
9. For account settings, use the following information:
   • Server address: https://IDkDrive.connect.kdrive.infomaniak.com (see the ID kDrive chapter above)
   • Username: email address used to log into the Infomaniak user account
   • Password: application password if two-factor authentication is enabled or ‍the one from your Infomaniak user account if you haven’t enabled 2FA
10. If desired, click the box to remember the login information.
11. Enter a name for this connection or leave the default indication.
12. Click on Finish.
13. Two folders will appear, one containing deleted files & folders, the other named after your kDrive and containing your data.

… on macOS

For a computer running macOS, follow the Apple instructions, which may look like this:

1. Click on the Go menu from the Finder.
2. Click on Connect to Server:
   
3. Enter the server address: https://IDkDrive.connect.kdrive.infomaniak.com (see the ID kDrive chapter above)
4. Click on Connect:
   
5. Confirm the connection by clicking the blue button.
6. Enter the following information:
   • Username: email address used to log into the Infomaniak user account
   • Password: application password if two-factor authentication is enabled or ‍the one from your Infomaniak user account if you haven’t enabled 2FA
7. If desired, click the box to remember the login information.
8. Click the blue button to connect:
   
9. That's it, the kDrive content displays on the Finder:
   

… on Linux (Gnome)

To do this:

1. Open Files.
2. In the sidebar, click on Other Location.
3. In the Connect to Server field, enter davs://IDkDrive.connect.kdrive.infomaniak.com
4. Click on Connect.
5. For account settings, use the following information:
   • Server address: https://IDkDrive.connect.kdrive.infomaniak.com (see the ID kDrive chapter above)
   • Username: email address used to log into the Infomaniak user account
   • Password: application password if two-factor authentication is enabled or ‍the one from your Infomaniak user account if you haven’t enabled 2FA
6. Click on Connect.

… with Windows software

Use the RaiDrive software for quick access to your hosted data. Fill in the fields as shown in the image below:

… with Windows / macOS software

Use the Cyberduck software for quick access to your hosted data:

1. Open Cyberduck.
2. In the software menu, go to Bookmark then New Bookmark.
3. Select the WebDAV (https) protocol.
4. Fill in the following information:
   • Server address: https://IDkDrive.connect.kdrive.infomaniak.com (see the ID kDrive chapter above)
   • Username: email address used to log into the Infomaniak user account
   • Password: application password if two-factor authentication is enabled or ‍the one from your Infomaniak user account if you haven’t enabled 2FA
   • Download folder: the folder where downloaded files will be stored

Direct WebDAV connection URL to the folder

A very simple tip to allow a direct connection via WebDAV to the folder of your choice is to use the following URL: 

https://IDkDrive.connect.kdrive.infomaniak.com/Folder-Name

This guide details the Lite Sync option of the kDrive app on macOS computers.

What is the Lite Sync option?

The Lite Sync feature saves space by virtually storing your kDrive files on your computer, downloading them only when necessary.

The files are always accessible from the Web version of kDrive (Infomaniak server) and locally, they are present but "dehydrated", requiring loading time to be fully accessible. This allows you to view, edit, and synchronize kDrive content without saturating the hard drive.

Example of use #1 (required storage space)

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

"Dehydration" of files

As explained earlier, a dehydrated file is a kDrive file whose full version is not present on the hard drive, and instead, a "shortcut" of 1 KB is displayed, which is normal behavior when Lite Sync is activated.

In some cases (e.g., if you copy files from your hard drive while Lite Sync is activated, and then re-synchronize to a new kDrive), the application will block the import of this type of file. To resolve these errors, you can download the complete file from the online version kdrive.infomaniak.com.

Prerequisites & scope of Lite Sync usage

• macOS version ≥ 10.15 — not available with Linux
• kDrive app macOS version ≥ 3.2

The Lite Sync option always works:

• on a specific kDrive (in case you synchronize multiple ones on the application)
• and on the entire kDrive (or the entire advanced synchronization)
• and through a specific kDrive application (another user of the same kDrive can make a different Lite Sync choice than yours)

Activate the Lite Sync option

The Lite Sync option can be activated during the installation of the application (this is offered to you) or later:

1. left-click on the app icon in the notification area of your computer (bottom right on macOS)
2. click on the action menu ⋮ to the right of the kDrive window
3. select kDrive Settings
4. click on the button in the Synchronization section to enable Lite Sync

The cloud icon will appear to the right of the name of a sync in the application, indicating that Lite Sync is enabled. If the crossed-out cloud icon appears, it means that Lite Sync is not enabled:

Always keep on this device

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

1. from the macOS Finder, navigate to a folder synchronized with kDrive and right-click
2. select the option Always keep locally available under kDrive
   

Free up local space

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

1. from the macOS Finder, navigate to a folder synchronized with kDrive and right-click
2. select the option free up local space under kDrive
   

Summary of icons

To summarize, here are the status icons used in your Windows Explorer:

Status Icons	Files	Folders
= online	the file is only on kDrive "in the cloud", to view it locally, you will need to download it	the folder contains at least one file or subfolder present on kDrive online
= always available	the file is always available locally and synchronized with the online version	the folder contains only locally synchronized files or subfolders with their online version
= synchronization conflict	kDrive encounters a synchronization conflict with the file	kDrive encounters a synchronization conflict with the folder
= transfer error	an error occurred during the file transfer and it was interrupted	an error occurred during the folder transfer and it was interrupted
= download in progress	the progress circle indicates a download in progress	the progress circle indicates a download in progress

Disable the Lite Sync option

To do this:

1. left-click on the app icon in the notification area of your computer (top right on macOS)
2. click on the action menu ⋮ to the right of the kDrive window
3. select kDrive Settings
4. click on the button in the Synchronization section to disable Lite Sync
5. two scenarios may occur:
   1. if there is enough space on your computer, a message confirming the deactivation will appear, simply click Continue
   2. if there is not enough space on your computer, a message will indicate the missing space to allow Lite Sync deactivation; the synchronization of your kDrive will be paused until you select the files to synchronize on your computer