pdsync

An unofficial sync client for Proton Drive on Linux: a tray app that keeps your Drive and folders on your computer in sync.

This is a third-party application, not made or supported by Proton. It's a hobby project in alpha: please keep your own backup of anything important while you try it. Built on Proton's official open-source Drive SDK.

What it does

• My Files on your computer: your Drive's My Files, synced into a folder you choose.
• Folders from this computer: add any folder (e.g. ~/Documents) and it's synced to Drive under Computers → (your PC's name), like Proton's Windows and Mac apps.
• Two-way, with you in control: downloads always; uploads (new files, edits, renames/moves, deletions) are each switched on separately, generally or per folder. Everything is off until you tick it, so it starts as a safe, download-only mirror.
• A tray app: status, recent activity, a Review list for anything that changed on both sides, and settings. Syncs every few minutes in the background, with a Stop button.

Safety rules

• Nothing is ever deleted outright. Deleted on Drive → your copy goes to the desktop trash (or a folder you choose); deleted here → Drive's trash.
• Changed on both sides? Neither side is overwritten; it goes to Review (Keep mine / Keep both). Drive also keeps old versions of every file.
• Many deletions at once are held until you confirm (or undo) them.
• A missing or empty folder (e.g. an unplugged drive) never causes deletions.
• Drive full? Only what fits is uploaded; you're told once, and uploads resume by themselves when there's space.
• Proton Docs/Sheets appear as shortcuts that open them in the browser; they are never uploaded over.
• node_modules, .git, caches and similar are skipped by default (editable per folder).

Install (Arch Linux)

yay -S pdsync

Then open pdsync from your app menu, log in, and choose what to sync. Automatic syncing in the background:

pdsync service install      # every 5 minutes while you're logged in

Good to know

• Use your Proton username, or the email you signed up with if your account was made with another email (like Gmail). 2FA with an authenticator app is supported; security keys (FIDO) alone are not yet.
• VPNs make Proton ask for a human-verification check much more often. The app handles the check, but logging in with the VPN off usually avoids it.
• Your login is kept in the desktop keyring (via Secret Service); your password itself is never stored.
• Proton is planning a change to Drive's encryption (expected around the end of 2026 / early 2027). Until pdsync is updated for it, syncing will stop working; your files stay safe where they are. Keep it up to date.
• Proton allows personal, non-commercial use of its SDK; this project follows their guidelines (honest app identification, event-based sync, no Proton branding).

Command line

Everything the app does is also a command (pdsync with no arguments lists them all), e.g.:

pdsync status               # login, folders, last sync, storage
pdsync plan                 # dry run: what would change on Drive
pdsync folders add ~/Notes  # sync a folder from this computer
pdsync stop                 # stop a running sync safely

Develop

Requires Node.js 22+, npm, Python 3 with PySide6, libsecret and glib2.

npm ci --ignore-scripts
npm test                    # offline tests against a fake Drive (no account needed)
bin/pdsync <command>        # the engine from source
bin/pdsync-gui              # the app from source

Path	What
src/	Engine (TypeScript): login, sync (mirror.ts), upload planner (plan.ts), folder pairs (pairs.ts), trash, systemd service, CLI (cli.ts)
gui/pdsync_gui/	Desktop app (PySide6 + QML); it only talks to the engine (--json)
test/	Offline tests
tools/	Headless screenshots and UI checks (made-up data)
packaging/	PKGBUILDs (local build, and the AUR release in aur/), launchers, systemd units

License

GPL-3.0-or-later (required by @protontech/crypto). Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or supported by Proton AG. "Proton" and "Proton Drive" are trademarks of Proton AG.