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How to create a private peer to peer cloud with syncthing in Arch Linux, Windows, Mac and Android Phone and share access through QR code.

How to create a private peer to peer cloud with syncthing in Arch Linux, Windows, Mac and Android Phone and share access through QR code.

Syncthing is not a cloud storage service in the traditional sense. Instead, it is a peer-to-peer (P2P) file synchronization tool that effectively turns your own devices—your computer, laptop, and phone—into a personal, private cloud. There is no central server storing your data; files are exchanged directly between your devices over an encrypted channel. This means your data never sits on a tech company’s servers like it would with Google Drive or iCloud. Syncthing scans folders, breaks files into small blocks, and only transfers the modified blocks when changes occur, saving time and data. Your devices must be online simultaneously to sync, but changes are tracked and queued automatically when a device reconnects.

Below is a guide to installing a Syncthing GUI on Arch Linux, Windows, Android (using SyncUp), and macOS.

Arch Linux

Syncthing provides a built-in Web GUI, but several native GUI wrappers are available.

  1. Install the core package: 
    sudo pacman -S syncthing

    This gives you the syncthing binary and the Web GUI (accessible at http://localhost:8384 by default).

  2. Choose a GUI wrapper (optional): · Syncthing Tray (Qt6): A system tray indicator. Install from the AUR: 
    yay -S syncthingtray-qt6

    (The Qt5 version is no longer recommended.) · Syncthing-GTK: A GTK desktop interface. Available in the AUR as syncthing-gtk.

  3. Enable autostart (recommended): Run Syncthing as a systemd user service so it starts at login: 
    systemctl --user enable --now syncthing.service

    For a system-wide service (e.g., on a server), use syncthing@yourusername.service instead.

Windows

The most beginner-friendly option is SyncTrayzor, a tray utility that bundles Syncthing, a built-in browser, and auto-start.

  1. Install via package manager (easiest): · winget: winget install GermanCoding.SyncTrayzor · Chocolatey: choco install synctrayzor · Scoop: scoop install extras/synctrayzor
  2. Manual installer: Download SyncTrayzorSetup-x64.exe (or ARM64) from the GitHub releases page and run it. A portable ZIP is also available. SyncTrayzor runs on Windows 10 or newer and handles Syncthing’s background process for you.

Android (SyncUp)

Syncthing’s official Android client was archived in December 2024. SyncUp is a modern, open-source replacement that runs the Syncthing daemon in-process via gomobile, meaning there is no separate background service to manage.

Install SyncUp from F-Droid (recommended for automatic updates):

  1. Open the SyncUp page on F-Droid.
  2. Tap Install. The app requires Android 7.0 or higher.

Key features of SyncUp:

· QR pairing (both ways): Display your device’s QR code for a peer to scan, or scan theirs—no need to type the 56-character device ID. · Auto-accept folders: Trust a peer and any folder they share is added automatically. · SAF (Storage Access Framework): Sync into folders outside the app sandbox, including Documents, SD card, or USB drive. · Auto-start on boot: Android resumes syncing after a reboot. · Photo backup: Background upload of new photos/videos into a chosen folder.

SyncUp is also available on the App Store for iOS if you need cross-platform phone sync.

macOS

The official syncthing-macos bundle is a native tray application that wraps Syncthing, making it behave like a proper macOS app.

  1. Install via Homebrew (easiest):

    brew install --cask syncthing-app

  2. Manual DMG install: Download the latest DMG from the GitHub releases page, mount it, and drag the app to your Applications folder. Important: Ensure no other Syncthing instances or wrappers are running before launching the app. The app requires macOS 12 or later for Syncthing v2.

Features include opening the Web GUI from the tray, optional start-at-login, and automatic updates via Sparkle.

After Installation: Adding Devices and Folders

Once Syncthing is running on at least two devices, you need to connect them:

  1. Get the Device ID from the Web GUI (or the tray app) on each device.
  2. Add a remote device on one machine: click Add Remote Device, paste the other device’s ID, and save.
  3. Accept the connection on the other device when prompted.
  4. Share a folder: Add a folder on one device, go to its Sharing tab, and check the box next to the remote device.
  5. Accept the folder on the remote device.

With SyncUp on Android, you can skip the manual ID entry entirely by using the QR pairing feature.

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