Rclone Google Drive Sync Guide: A Reliable Multi-Device Workflow

March 03, 2026 2022 technical

Managing large datasets or research wikis across multiple devices can be a headache, especially with Google Drive’s native client limitations on Linux. Rclone is the gold standard for bridging this gap, offering a powerful, command-line interface for seamless cloud synchronization.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through setting up a robust, “permanent” connection that doesn’t require daily re-authentication, along with my recommended daily workflow.

1. Fixing the Root Cause (The Permanent Fix)

If you use the default rclone configuration, you might find yourself logging in and authorizing every few days. To stop this and gain better performance, you should create your own Google Client ID.

How to Create Your Own Client ID & Secret

Google Cloud Console: Go to the Google Cloud Console.
Create Project: Click the project dropdown at the top and select “New Project”. Name it something like rclone-sync.
Enable API: Search for “Google Drive API” and click Enable.
Configure OAuth Consent:
- Go to APIs & Services > OAuth consent screen.
- Choose “External” and click Create.
- Fill in the required app details and your email.
- Click Save and Continue until you’re back at the dashboard.
Create Credentials:
- Go to APIs & Services > Credentials.
- Click + Create Credentials > OAuth client ID.
- Select “Desktop app” as the Application type.
- Click Create.
Get the Keys: A popup will show your Client ID and Client Secret.

Apply the Keys

Run rclone config, edit your existing gdrive remote (or create a new one), and paste your new client_id and client_secret when prompted. This makes your connection much more stable and faster.

2. Daily Workflow (Best Practices)

To keep your files synced without accidents, I recommend this routine:

Start of Day: Download Changes

If you’ve worked on another device, bring those changes to your local machine:

rclone copy gdrive:works /home/paul/works -P

End of Day: Upload Changes

Back up your locally modified files to the cloud:

rclone copy /home/paul/works gdrive:works -P

Syncing a Specific Folder

If you’ve only updated one project and don’t want to scan your entire works directory, you can target that specific subfolder to save time:

rclone copy /home/paul/works/academics gdrive:works/academics -P

[!TIP] Use copy instead of sync most of the time. copy only adds files to the destination; sync can delete files if they are missing on the source.

3. Maintenance & Troubleshooting

Check for Differences

Before a big transfer, see what has actually changed:

rclone check /home/paul/works gdrive:works --size-only

Fix Duplicates

Google Drive sometimes creates two files with the exact same name. Rclone can fix this automatically:

rclone dedupe gdrive:works

Re-authentication

If you ever get an “Authorization failed” error, run:

rclone config reconnect gdrive:

4. Understanding the Logs

Checks: 2679 / 2679: Rclone compared all files and found them identical. It did NOT re-transfer them, saving you time and bandwidth.
Progress (-P): Always use this flag to see real-time transfer speeds and percentages.

By following this setup, your research data and wiki will stay synchronized and secure, allowing you to focus on the science rather than the plumbing.

Happy Syncing! 📂✨