DEVONthink allows you to keep your databases in sync with multiple Macs and iOS devices running DEVONthink To Go. Set up your sync location, choose which databases are synced, and how often they're synced.
Locations
The Locations column lists all available sync locations, whether these are the built-in options, ones you've added yourself, or ones detected on your network, e.g., WebDAV services. Activate or disable sync locations via its checkbox. Inactive or inaccessible locations are shown in grey. And if a sync location is using encryption, will appear to the right of the name.
Use the buttons below the Locations list for more options:
Add Location: Add a new sync location with the + button e.g., to add another local sync store.
Remove Location: Remove a selected sync location with the - button. It is generally a good idea to clean the location before removing it.
Show Info: Display a popup with editable details of the selected sync location.
The Locations Action menu also is used for information, troubleshooting, and removing chosen sync locations.
Reveal in Finder: Opens a Finder window revealing a selected local sync sync store.
Verify Location: Used in troubleshooting situations, this quickly verifies the integrity of the sync data of the chosen sync location. Hold the ⌥︎ key to select Verify Location Thoroughly.
Clean Location: Also used in troubleshooting, this removes all the sync data in the selected location.
Sync Location Options
When setting up a sync location or editing the options on an existing one, you will see some of these options in the Info popup for the location. The options shown are dependent on the specific sync method:
Encryption: The key used to encrypt the sync data (AES-256). This is not mandatory, but recommended. There are no length or character requirements.
Sync Store Name: The name of the sync store, ideally with no spaces for broader compatibility, e.g., DTSync or work_2025. If you are setting up an already active sync location, e.g., you've already synced from another device, click the dropdown menu to choose from a list of existing stores.
Synchronize label names & colors: Synchronize label names and colors using this location. Be aware, changes to the colors and names on any syncing machine will sync to the others.
Synchronize reading positions: Synchronize reading and playback positions using this location. This can help you keep your place in PDFs you're reading or audio/video you're playing.
Synchronize custom metadata definitions: Synchronize custom metadata definitions found in the higher editions of DEVONthink and actively used on items in your databases. If you are collaboratively syncing, you may want to disable this option to avoid the other party from receiving your specific metadata definitions.
Synchronize content of indexed files: Synchronize the content of indexed files. If you uncheck this option only the metadata about the document will be synchronized. This is generally only used in special circumstances.
Verify uploaded items: Verify all uploaded items to make sure the sync data is intact. Usually only necessary with unstable network connections/servers or in case you experience troubles with defective files.
URL: The URL of a WebDAV server, often including a port and folder where the sync store is located, e.g, https://herax.local:65501/DEVONsync. The path is case-sensitive.
User name: The user name for the service.
Password: The password for the service.
Databases
With a sync location selected, the Databases column lists all currently open databases as well as all databases available remotely in the selected location. The Local section lists all open databases and a message about their sync status, e.g, the timestamp of the last sync. The Remote section lists all databases available for import or currently not open on the machine. When attempting to import the latter, the local database will be opened by DEVONthink.
Start and stop syncing a specific database to the selected location. Uncheck databases you want to discontinue syncing with the selected location, but be aware this does not remove the sync data. See the Clean Database command below.
Use the buttons below the Databases list for more options:
Import Database: Select a remote database and click to download the data of the database and save it locally. The database will be automatically configured to sync with this location. Alternatively, you can double-click a remote database to import it.
Synchronize Database: Select a checked database and click to manually sync the database with this location.
Refresh List: Refreshes the list of remote databases available in the selected location.
The Databases Action menu also contains commands for importing, manually synchronzing, troubleshooting, and removing sync data.
Import Database: Import a database in an unencrypted state. It is possible to import an encrypted database as an unencrypted one, if the situation warrants it.
Import Encrypted Database: Import a database as an encrypted database. You will need to specify the maximum database size and an encryption key. This option also can be used when importing an unencrypted database.
Import Revision-Proof Database: Imports an revision-proof database. This can only be used to import an revision-proof database.
Verify Database: Used in troubleshooting situations, this quickly verifies the integrity of the sync data of the chosen database. Hold the ⌥︎ key to select Verify Database Thoroughly.
Clean Database: Also used in troubleshooting situations, this removes the sync data for the chosen database from the current sync location.
Refresh List: Manually update the Databases list.
Sync messages: Under each listed database in the Databases list, is a message about its sync state. You will see one of these:
Not yet synchronized, upload database: This database has never been synced to this location.
Not yet synchronized, merge with remote database: This database has been synced to this location from another device, but not yet from this Mac.
Last Synchronization,…: This database has been synced to this location at the time shown.
Sync Options
Sync Options: The settings at the bottom of the pane control the behavior for all active sync locations, from how often to sync to how sync conflicts are handled.
Synchronize: Choose if you want to synchronize automatically, manually, or in fixed intervals. Check On Quit or Deactivation to automatically synchronize when you quit DEVONthink or when you switch to another application.
Max. Connections: Choose the maximum number of connections DEVONthink should open. The faster your internet connection the higher you can usually go. The recommended value is 16. Note the maximum number is controlled by the service you're using.
Conflicts: Choose how to solve the conflict if an item was changed both locally and remotely before either device synced. Use latest document preserves the most recently changed document. Duplicate documents keeps both versions of the conflicting item and appends "copy" to the end of one's filename.
Bonjour Options
Click the button Bonjour Options to control if and how other instances of DEVONthink or DEVONthink To Go can connect to your Mac. Your Mac becomes the sync server, the other devices the clients.
Enable incoming connections: Allow other devices connect to your copy of DEVONthink and synchronize.
Open databases automatically: Open a database automatically when a client device requests syncing with an unopened database.
Port: Set the port number used for incoming connections, if you need to assign a specific port. If not, leave this empty and DEVONthink will choose a random port for you.
Password: Create a password to be used by client devices needing to connect to this Mac as a server. This password is mandatory. This password also encrypts the client-server connection at all times.
will appear to the right of the name.
to download the data of the database and save it locally. The database will be automatically configured to sync with this location. Alternatively, you can double-click a remote database to import it.
to manually sync the database with this location.