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Beginner guide ​

In about ten minutes you will connect CloudDrop to your cloud, upload a few files, see them in the cloud, and free the disk space they use without losing them.

What you need ​

  • CloudDrop installed. See Install.
  • An account on a cloud CloudDrop supports. This guide uses Google Drive; the steps for other clouds are in Connect a cloud.
  • A few files you do not mind using for a test.

Button names on this page are from the Linux app. The Windows app has the same pages and steps with slightly different wording.

Set up CloudDrop ​

  1. Open CloudDrop from your app grid or Start menu.

    The setup assistant opens with Welcome to CloudDrop.

  2. Select Get Started.

  3. Under Choose where to upload, pick Google Drive and select Continue.

  4. On Choose your folders, leave the folder names as they are and select Continue.

    CloudDrop uploads the folder ~/CloudDrop on your computer to a folder named CloudDrop in My Drive.

  5. Select Sign In with Google.

    Your browser opens Google's sign-in page. Choose your account and allow CloudDrop to add files to your Drive. CloudDrop can only see the files it creates itself.

  6. Back in CloudDrop, wait for You're all set.

    CloudDrop starts in the background and will start again each time you log in. On Linux you can also turn on Show icon in the top bar and Show upload status in Files here.

  7. Select Open CloudDrop Folder.

Upload your first files ​

  1. Copy a few files into the CloudDrop folder.

    You can also drag them onto the Files page of the app, or select Add Files… on Home.

  2. Open the Home page.

    While files are going up, the status card shows the progress, the upload speed and the time left. When it finishes, the status reads Up to date.

  3. Open the Files page.

    Each file shows a status: Waiting, Uploading, Uploaded, Failed or Cloud-only.

  4. Select a file and choose Open in Google Drive to see the copy in your cloud.

The Files page listing folders and files with Uploaded, Uploading and Cloud-only statuses
The Files page lists everything in CloudDrop, including files that are only in the cloud.

Free up space ​

  1. On the Files page, select a file whose status is Uploaded.

  2. Select Free Up Space.

  3. Read the Free up space? message and confirm.

    CloudDrop checks that the cloud holds an identical copy, then removes the copy on your computer. The file's status becomes Cloud-only.

  4. To get the file back, select it and choose Download.

WARNING

A cloud-only file exists only in your cloud. If you then delete it in the cloud, or lose access to the account, it is gone. CloudDrop never deletes in the cloud, but it cannot stop you doing so.

What you learned ​

  • Anything you put in the CloudDrop folder is uploaded with the same folder structure.
  • Home shows what is happening; Files shows every file and its status.
  • Free Up Space removes a local copy only after the cloud copy is checked, and Download brings it back.

Next steps ​