The Shadow Drive desktop client is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. The main purpose of the desktop client is to synchronize the files on your computer to Shadow Drive.
You can download the desktop client from the download page and install Shadow Drive on your computer.
Opening the Shadow Drive Desktop Client
Open your hidden icon tray on the taskbar and right-click the Shadow Drive icon to reveal the following options:
- Open main dialog: Opens the main dialog window.
- Pause sync: Pauses synchronization.
- Settings: Provides access to the Shadow Drive Settings Menu.
- Help: Opens the Help Center.
- Exit Shadow Drive: Quits the desktop client, ending a currently running sync.
Using the Main Dialog Window
The main dialog window displays file activity and sync status for the client and Shadow Drive. Recent activities and synchronization issues will appear here.
You can also use the main dialog window to access your:
- Account Settings – Configure Shadow Drive, add another Shadow Drive account, and more.
- Local Folder – Open the local folder synced to Shadow Drive.
- Overflow Menu – See additional options.
Account Settings
Click your profile picture to open a dropdown menu for the following actions:
- ●●● Three-dot menu: Click this button next to any profile name to remove the account linked to this desktop.
- Add account: Add a linked account to this desktop.
- Pause sync for all: Stop all file syncing in progress.
- Settings: Synchronization settings.
- Exit: Close the client.
Overflow Menu
In the top-right corner of the main dialog window, click the ●●● overflow menu (three dots) to access the following features and settings:
Selecting any of these options opens the Shadow Drive web app.
Shadow Drive Settings Menu
In the Shadow Drive Settings Menu, you'll see an overview of the drives synchronized to Shadow Drive and their status. From this menu, you can also choose from the following:
- Add Folder Sync Connection: - Sync a new folder.
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●●● Three-dot menu: Click this button next to any synced drive to see more options.
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Open Folder
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Edit Ignored Files
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Create New Folder
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Force Sync Now
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Pause Sync
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Remove Folder Sync Connection
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Availability
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- General Settings: Configure the desktop client settings.
- Network Settings: Modify networking settings.
General Settings
- Launch on System Startup: Enable this setting to automatically launch the application when your system starts, ensuring seamless access.
- Show Server Notification: Choose whether to receive notifications from the server, keeping you informed of important updates.
- Show Call Notification: Enable call notifications to stay updated on incoming calls when this feature is active.
⚠️ This feature is currently disabled. Our teams are working on integrating a videoconferencing module with Shadow Drive.
Advanced
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Ask for Confirmation Before Synchronizing Folder Larger Than [ ]MB: Safeguards external folders by requiring user confirmation before syncing large files.
⚠️ This setting applies only to external folders. Standard folders will sync regardless of the MB value set.
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Ask for Confirmation Before Synchronizing External Storage: Requires confirmation before syncing folders stored on an external drive. When enabled, you must manually approve which external folders sync. These folders are visually distinct, appearing with a drive icon instead of a standard folder.
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Show Sync Folder in Explorer's Activation Pane: Controls whether the Shadow Drive folder is visible in your File Explorer for quick access.
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Edit Ignored Files: Customize your sync settings by managing which files should be excluded from synchronization.
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Create Debug Archive: Generate a log archive to help developers troubleshoot issues.
Info
View the application version, see usage documentation, and view the legal notice, or modify the following settings:
- Enable or disable automatic updates.
- Manually check for updates.
- Choose between stable and beta versions.
Network Settings
- Proxy Settings: Use system proxy, specify manually, or disable proxy.
- Download & Upload Bandwidth: Customize network usage limits.
FAQ
Can I edit text files on the Shadow Drive desktop client?
No, text file editing (Word, Excel, .txt, .md) is not supported. To edit .txt or .md files, use the web app.