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Choosing a way to keep 3 Mac Desktops + Documents in sync?

  
 
chiron
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Choosing a way to keep 3 Mac Desktops + Documents in sync?



I have three Macs. I would like them to share a desktop, the documents folder, and maybe one or two other folders. I think there are two ways to do this: one way is by keeping my desktop and the folders I want to share on iCloud or OneDrive and accessing them there from each computer; the second way is to use a program like Carbon Copy Cloner to sync files among the three machines (although I believe this would require me to actually connect the machines to get the sync. If the above is correct, which way of doing this is better?

I am trying to reproduce the situation I had with my Windows machines whereby a change made to the desktop on one machine (e.g., adding, deleting, or altering a file) would automatically show up on the desktops of the other machines. For some reason, probably because I am used to the Windows way of doing this, I am finding it difficult to understand the best Mac way of doing this.



Jul 21, 2023 at 08:21 AM
RoamingScott
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Choosing a way to keep 3 Mac Desktops + Documents in sync?


You probably saw that behavior because of OneDrive auto syncing Desktop and Documents on Windows.

I've not really played with OneDrive on Mac to see if it behaves the same way, but that would be easy if it did.



Jul 21, 2023 at 08:27 AM
Zenon Char
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Choosing a way to keep 3 Mac Desktops + Documents in sync?


With CCC you have to connect the devices. I just use it back back up external drives where I store my photos.

Currently we sync 6 devices (including iPhones) using Mac iCloud but just for notes, calendars, reminders and mail. iCloud Drive and photos is off. If I wanted to sync documents I'd look into iCloud Drive. I know it can fill up fast and then the want to charge you when you hit 5GB. Don't know anything about OneDrive.



Jul 21, 2023 at 09:31 AM
jwpstl
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Choosing a way to keep 3 Mac Desktops + Documents in sync?


iCloud is the way to go if you want to sync the desktops and documents. As stated, CCC would required all 3 drives be mounted on one for syncing-it isn't cloud based.


Jul 21, 2023 at 10:00 AM
rscheffler
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Choosing a way to keep 3 Mac Desktops + Documents in sync?


Could also look into Google Drive and Dropbox. I believe you can create a 'live' folder on each of your Macs that show the cloud-based files/documents. You wouldn't necessarily have separate desktop, Documents, Pictures, etc. folders, rather you'd re-create those inside the cloud-based host and access those through the single live folder on each of your systems.

Google's free tier is 15GB. Not sure about Dropbox (IIRC it might be 2GB).

iCloud likely would be better integrated but the 5GB free tier is possibly a bit restrictive.



Jul 22, 2023 at 05:19 PM







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