Getting started

Install#

OtherSync runs on Windows 11, and there are three ways to install it. They all give you the same app, so pick whichever suits you.

For the App Installer route, run this in PowerShell:

Add-AppxPackage -AppInstallerFile "https://github.com/otherworld-dev/Nimbo/releases/latest/download/Nimbo.appinstaller"

Setup.exe asks for administrator permission when it runs, which it uses to add the small status badges to your files in Explorer. The Store and App Installer routes cannot add these, however you can turn them on afterwards from Settings (see File modes).

Antivirus or SmartScreen warnings#

Every OtherSync download from GitHub is signed by Otherworld Dev Ltd through Microsoft's Azure Trusted Signing (the Store edition is signed by Microsoft). You can check this yourself by right-clicking the file, choosing Properties and opening the Digital Signatures tab, which should list Otherworld Dev Ltd.

Some antivirus products flag new files on reputation alone, which means a release can be flagged for the first few days after it comes out simply because not many people have downloaded it yet. If the signature is from Otherworld Dev Ltd the file is genuine, and it is worth reporting it to your antivirus vendor as a false positive so it gets cleared for everyone.

Sign in#

When OtherSync first starts it opens a Sign in to Nextcloud window.

1. Enter your server address, for example https://cloud.example.com. If your Nextcloud lives under a path, such as https://example.com/nextcloud, enter the full address including the path.
2. Click Log in. Your browser opens on your Nextcloud's own login page.
3. Log in there and approve access for OtherSync, then come back to the OtherSync window.

You never type your Nextcloud password into OtherSync. Nextcloud gives OtherSync an app password of its own, which is kept in the Windows Credential Manager rather than in a file, and you can revoke it at any time from Personal settings → Security in Nextcloud.

If the browser step never returns to OtherSync, or sign-in fails, see Sign-in problems.

Choose what to sync#

Once you have signed in, OtherSync shows where your files will go on this PC and asks how you want to sync. Click Choose different folder if you want them somewhere other than the suggested folder, then pick one of:

• Synchronize everything from server downloads your whole account and keeps it in sync.
• Choose what to sync lets you pick the folders you want on this PC.
• Use virtual files instead of downloading content immediately shows your whole account straight away, but each file only downloads when you open it. This is the one to pick if your account is larger than the space on your PC.

Click Connect to start. If you picked virtual files and the folder you chose already has your files in it, for example from another sync client, OtherSync compares it with the server first and offers to Keep my files rather than download everything again.

The difference between downloading everything and virtual files is explained in more detail in File modes, and you can change your mind later in Settings.

Find OtherSync in the tray#

OtherSync lives in the notification area at the right of the taskbar. Click the cloud icon to open the panel, which shows what is syncing, or right-click it for a menu with Sync now, Pause syncing and Settings.

Windows hides new tray icons in the overflow (the ^ arrow) to begin with. To keep OtherSync visible, open Windows Settings → Personalization → Taskbar → Other system tray icons and turn OtherSync on.

Next steps#

• Accounts if you want to add a second Nextcloud account.
• Updates for how OtherSync keeps itself up to date.
• Real-time push to have changes arrive within seconds.