The Nextcloud Desktop Sync Client is the small background app that keeps one or more folders on your computer synchronized with your Nextcloud server, so your desktop files stay aligned with what you see in the web interface and on mobile devices - docs.nextcloud.com 
# What it does
You pick a local folder (or several) and the client continuously syncs changes both ways: edits you make locally upload to the server, and changes on the server download to your machine, so you always have the latest version on hand - docs.nextcloud.com
# Installation overview
You normally download the client from the official Nextcloud download page, then install it like a regular desktop app on Windows or macOS, or via your distribution’s package manager on Linux, after adding the recommended repository and signing key - docs.nextcloud.com - nextcloud.com
# System requirements
The user manual currently lists these baseline requirements (all 64-bit only). - docs.nextcloud.com
- Windows 10 or newer. - macOS 12.0 or newer. - Linux distributions such as Ubuntu 22.04, openSUSE 15.5, Alma 8, and similar, with support generally targeting current LTS releases where feasible.
# Server compatibility note
The documentation states that the supported server releases are the latest three stable major versions at time of publication, and points to the maintenance schedule for the definitive list - docs.nextcloud.com - github.com
# macOS installation notes
On macOS you install like a typical application (download, open, drag/install), and updates are handled by the client’s updater mechanisms described in the “Automatic Updater” documentation - docs.nextcloud.com - docs.nextcloud.com
# Linux installation notes
On Linux you generally install via your distribution’s package manager after adding the appropriate repository and signing key, and updates arrive through the same package manager workflow; the client can also notify you when an update exists - docs.nextcloud.com - docs.nextcloud.com
The docs also note that you should have a password manager/keyring available (for example GNOME Keyring or KWallet) so the client can log in automatically without repeatedly prompting for credentials - docs.nextcloud.com
# Windows installation and MSI customisation
On Windows the client is commonly deployed via an `.msi`, and the manual describes a set of MSI “features” you can include or omit for managed rollouts, including desktop shortcuts, Start Menu shortcuts, and Explorer shell integration - docs.nextcloud.com
Examples from the docs include using `msiexec` for passive installs, selecting features to add, removing features later, setting `INSTALLDIR`, disabling automatic updates with `SKIPAUTOUPDATE`, forcing launch with `LAUNCH`, and suppressing reboot scheduling when the Explorer extension is involved - docs.nextcloud.com
# First-run setup wizard
The setup wizard asks for your Nextcloud server URL, then typically opens your browser for authentication/authorization, and then returns you to the wizard to choose what to sync and where to store it locally; by default the local folder is `Nextcloud` inside your home directory - docs.nextcloud.com
If provider registration is supported in the particular build, the wizard may show an option to create an account with a provider; the docs warn that some desktop client builds might not include provider support - docs.nextcloud.com
# How it behaves day-to-day
The client stays running in the background and exposes a tray/menu icon (system tray on Windows/KDE, menu bar on macOS, notification area on Linux) that shows sync status, recent activity, and errors, and offers quick actions like pause/resume and opening settings - docs.nextcloud.com
It also provides file manager overlay icons (Explorer, Finder, Nautilus and friends) so you can see per-file and per-folder sync state at a glance, using green checkmarks for “in sync”, blue indicators for “syncing”, warning icons for ignored items, and red marks for errors - docs.nextcloud.com
# Multiple accounts and multiple sync connections
You can add multiple Nextcloud accounts in the client, and within an account you can add folder sync connections, pause/resume per connection, or remove a connection entirely if you want to stop syncing that folder - docs.nextcloud.com
# Sharing from the desktop
The desktop client integrates sharing into your file manager context menu so you can create share links and share with internal Nextcloud users similarly to the web interface, with Linux requiring an additional integration package depending on your file manager (for example Nautilus or Dolphin add-ons) - docs.nextcloud.com
# Network and bandwidth controls
The client includes network settings for configuring a Proxy and limiting upload/download bandwidth, which is useful when you want syncing to be polite on a constrained connection - docs.nextcloud.com
# Ignored files and exclude patterns
If you want to exclude files or directories from syncing, the client includes an ignored-files editor and a default exclude list (often stored as `sync-exclude.lst` in the application directory), plus support for wildcard patterns like `*` and `?`, with some guardrails and warnings that editing global exclude definitions can cause surprising behaviour - docs.nextcloud.com
The docs also mention that the client always excludes filenames containing characters that cannot be synchronized to other file systems, and that it may remove files that cause repeated errors, while offering limited retry options - docs.nextcloud.com
# Updates and update channels
The “Automatic Updater” documentation describes that automatic updating is handled on Windows and macOS, while Linux updates are delivered via the system package manager (with the client still able to check and notify) - docs.nextcloud.com
If you want to choose how adventurous you are, the desktop client offers update channels described as Enterprise, Stable, Beta, and Daily, ranging from “most conservative” to “closest to current development” - docs.nextcloud.com
# Disabling update checks in controlled environments
For managed deployments (companies, universities), the docs describe ways to disable update checks via `skipUpdateCheck=true` in `nextcloud.cfg`, and on Windows via specific Registry keys (including a Group Policy–friendly path) to prevent users overriding the setting - docs.nextcloud.com
# Practical gotchas
Directory modification times are not preserved (folder mtimes can look “wrong” after syncing), even though file mtimes are updated, which can confuse people who rely on “sort by modified” views for folders - docs.nextcloud.com
If you install Windows shell integration, Windows may schedule a reboot after installation so Explorer extensions load/unload correctly, which matters for unattended IT rollouts - docs.nextcloud.com