Frequently asked questions

Yes. Download and use the fully functional software for 30 days. Download FolderClone

Yes. FolderClone runs on Windows 10 and Windows 11 (32-bit and 64-bit).

For most home PCs, start with Standard. Choose Professional for work use or power-user features: copying open/locked files, email notifications, and extra tools.

See Product Information for the full list, then Purchase.

The FolderClone screens are English. File and folder names can use other languages (including Unicode). You need to be able to read English to use the program.

The first time a task runs, FolderClone copies the selected files and folders from source to target. Later runs copy only new and changed files.

No. FolderClone is not meant to back up the operating system and installed programs. Use it for data files you create that would be hard to replace after a disaster.

Install FolderClone on any PC that can see both the source and the target. Mapped drives, NAS shares, and USB disks are fine if Windows can use them like normal folders.

A quick test: in Windows Explorer on that PC, can you see both folders, copy a file from source to target, and delete a file on the target? If yes, FolderClone can use that setup.

FolderClone is not cloud-aware. It only copies files that exist as real files on disk. If a cloud app is using Files On Demand / online-only placeholders, those items can look missing.

Make the files available offline (in the cloud app's settings), then run the task again. The same idea applies to OneDrive, Dropbox, and Google Drive.

Not natively. FolderClone only works with folders Windows can open. If a third-party tool maps the device to a drive letter, you can point a task at that letter. We do not support or troubleshoot those helper apps.

FolderClone is a one-way mirror: source wins. A true two-way, decide-as-you-go sync is what FolderMatch is for. We do not currently plan a built-in two-way mode in FolderClone.

A workaround is two tasks with source and target swapped, plus "Do Not Delete" and "Copy Only If Source Is Newer than Target" on both. That copies new and newer files both ways; it is not a full two-way merge.

Yes. Point a task at the folder that holds the .pst file. Outlook must be closed while the copy runs. Professional can copy some in-use files; a .pst is still safest with Outlook shut down.

Yes, on Professional (email notifications). Use an App Password if the Google account has 2-Step Verification. See Google's App Passwords help.

• Normal clone task
• Next scheduled task
• The last run had an error (see the log)
• Next to run, and the last run had an error

Minor updates are usually free. Moving to a new major version is a paid upgrade (see Purchase for current upgrade and lifetime-upgrade prices).

We email customers for major upgrades and serious defects, not for every small build. Check the site every couple of months for minor updates.

A single-user license is for one computer. Server and unlimited-site licenses are listed on the purchase page. To use FolderClone on a new PC, install it there and enter your key.

Lost the key? Registration Key Recovery using the purchase email.

Yes, with a server license. FolderClone runs as a normal application, not a Windows service. The machine must be logged on for scheduled tasks to run.

We do not offer phone support. Email lets us look at the problem and reply with more detail, and it keeps prices down. Use the support portal.

FolderClone is virus/adware/spyware free. Windows SmartScreen and some antivirus tools still flag new downloads. That is a false positive.

On SmartScreen choose More info, then Run anyway. Screenshots and the longer note are on the download page.

FolderClone stays in the background so schedules can run. If you see "already running," open it from the white sheep icon in the system tray instead of launching it again.

If a double-click does nothing, reboot into Safe Mode and try again. If it works there, another startup program (often antivirus or a firewall) is blocking it. Use msconfig to turn startup items off in groups until you find the conflict, then allow FolderClone in that program.

If it also fails in Safe Mode, uninstall FolderClone and install a fresh copy from the download page.

FolderClone stores registration data in the Windows registry. Every Windows user who will run it needs permission to read and write that data. Log on as an administrator, or have IT grant those rights, then start FolderClone again.

Professional can copy some locked/in-use files with a driver that only works when FolderClone and the file are on the same local drive (usually C:). A file on another disk is treated as not local.

To stop the error, turn off Copy In-Use/Locked Files: Options on the main window (all tasks), or the Options tab of one task (that task only).

A large copy can make the window say "Not responding" in Task Manager even though it is still working. Let it finish. Empty the Recycle Bin if deletes are slow. If the source or target is offline (USB unplugged, VPN down, NAS asleep), the task cannot run until that path is back.

Schedules run only when the main window is minimized or closed. FolderClone is not multi-threaded: one task at a time, so a long job delays the next. Windows also gives timers low priority, so a busy PC can start a job a little late. Space tasks so they do not overlap.

A clone makes the target match the source. Files only on the target are removed unless you turn on Do Not Delete Orphans. By default, deletes go to the Recycle Bin - restore from there first.

To copy selected files back from target to source: select the task, choose Restore Source From Target, check the items, then Restore.

FolderClone is hands-off: you define clone tasks (what, where, how often) and it mirrors source to target in the background. FolderMatch is hands-on: you compare two folders and decide what to copy, move, or delete.

Use FolderClone for jobs that should never be forgotten. Use FolderMatch when you need to inspect differences and choose. Many people use both. There is a bundle on the purchase page.