This article contains detailed description of synchronizing files. You may want to see simplified guide to the process instead.

WinSCP offers several ways to synchronize your remote and local directories.

• You can synchronize directories by manually uploading and downloading the changed files. For this you may find useful features like Synchronize browsing and Compare directories or transfer option Newer and updated file(s) only.
• You can use function Synchronize to let WinSCP do the synchronization for you.
• If you make your changes locally and immediately upload the changed files to remote directory, you can make this much easier by making WinSCP watch for changes you make and automatically reflecting them on the remote directory using the function Keep remote directory up to date.
• If you happen to have the same files locally and remotely with the different timestamps, you can update them without transferring the files again. Use function Synchronize in Synchronize timestamps mode.
• You can fully automate some synchronization tasks using scripting.

Before using any synchronization feature, make sure WinSCP can correctly convert timestamps from local conventions to remote server conventions and vice versa.

During synchronization WinSCP can backup remote files to remote recycle bin.