Anyone who uses a synced folder on several devices will sooner or later find files with odd names: «report (laptop's conflicted copy).docx», «quote-OFFICE-PC.xlsx», «budget (1).xlsx». They are a sign that the sync service could not decide which version of a file was the right one, and chose to keep both. It is a prudent behaviour, but if you do not deal with it you end up working on different copies without noticing.
Why a conflict arises
A conflict occurs when the same file is changed in two places before the changes are synced. The service receives two different versions, both newer than the last one it knew, and cannot know which to keep. Rather than discarding one, it saves the second under a modified name.
Typical situations are:
- working offline: you edit a file on your laptop on a train with no connection, while a colleague edits the same file from the office;
- two devices on at the same time: the document is open on both the home and the work computer;
- sync paused or stuck: the service has been stopped for days by an error nobody noticed;
- programs that save often: some software autosaves every few minutes, increasing the chances of conflict;
- files opened exclusively: databases, mail archives and some programs' project files do not tolerate being synced while in use.
Recognizing conflicted files
Each service uses its own naming convention, but the device name, the words «conflict» or «conflicted copy», or a number in brackets added to the name are the most common clues. A periodic search of synced folders for these words brings forgotten conflicts to light.
How to resolve them without losing anything
When you find a conflict, do not delete one of the copies straight away. A safe procedure:
- Compare the modification dates of the two files and, if possible, who modified them.
- Open both versions and identify the differences. Word and Writer have a document comparison feature that highlights changes; for plain text there are line-by-line comparison tools.
- Merge the changes into the file with the original name, bringing over what is missing from the other version.
- Rename or move the conflicted copy to a temporary folder instead of deleting it immediately.
- After a few days, if nobody has reported problems, delete it.
For spreadsheets comparison is more laborious. If the changes affect different parts of the sheet, you can copy the updated part from one version to the other; if they affect the same cells, you need to ask whoever made the changes.
Preventing conflicts
Most conflicts can be avoided with a few habits.
Work on the online version when collaborating
For documents edited by several people, the online editors built into services, such as those of Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, allow simultaneous editing without conflicts: everyone works on the same copy and changes merge in real time. For collaborative work they are almost always preferable to editing synced files locally.
Close files when switching devices
Before moving from the office computer to the laptop, close open documents and wait for sync to finish. The service icon usually shows whether files are still uploading.
Check sync status
A service that has been stuck for days is the cause of many widespread conflicts. A glance at the icon during the weekly review, or active error notifications, let you notice in time.
Exclude what should not be synced
Some files should not sit in a synced folder while in use:
| File type | Problem | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Local mail archives | constantly open in the client | keep them outside, back them up separately |
| Business software databases | continuous writes, risk of corruption | use the program's own backup feature |
| Virtual machines | huge files changing all the time | dedicated backup |
| Software project folders | thousands of temporary files | version control |
Signal who is working
In small groups using synced files without online editors, a simple agreement helps: whoever opens a file announces it, for example with a message in the group chat, and closes it when done. Some services also show automatically when a file is open by someone else.
When there are many conflicts
If a folder holds dozens of conflicted copies, there is usually a structural problem: a device that has not synced for a long time, a program that saves constantly, a folder used by too many people without rules. It is worth finding the cause before resolving the conflicts one by one.
In short
- A conflict arises when the same file is changed in two places before syncing.
- Recognize conflicts by names with the device, the word «conflict» or numbers in brackets.
- Compare and merge versions before deleting a copy.
- To collaborate, use online editors and close files before switching devices.
- Exclude always-open files, such as databases and mail archives, from sync.
