# More than one sync?

**URL:** <https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/more-than-one-sync/87669>\
**Category:** DEVONthink\
**Tags:** sync\
**Created:** [September 18, 2026, 4:42pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/more-than-one-sync/87669 "2026-09-18T16:42:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![tinksquared](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/tinksquared/32/39350_2.png) [@tinksquared](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/tinksquared)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 4:42pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/more-than-one-sync/87669/1 "2026-09-18T16:42:21Z")

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Can I have both Bonjour and CloudKit sync enabled?

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**Author:** ![cgrunenberg](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/cgrunenberg/32/7172_2.png) [@cgrunenberg](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/cgrunenberg)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 4:55pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/more-than-one-sync/87669/2 "2026-09-18T16:55:05Z")

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Yes, that’s fully supported.

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**Author:** ![tinksquared](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/tinksquared/32/39350_2.png) [@tinksquared](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/tinksquared)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 5:06pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/more-than-one-sync/87669/3 "2026-09-18T17:06:59Z")

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Excellent thank you!

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**Author:** ![chrillek](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/chrillek/32/29340_2.png) [@chrillek](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/chrillek)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2026, 8:36am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/more-than-one-sync/87669/4 "2026-09-19T08:36:29Z")

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Yes, you can. But why do you want to? Each method adds another level of complexity and makes it more difficult to troubleshoot sync.

IMO, you need remote sync (ie CloudKit or WebDAV et al) only if

- either someone else modifies your data @home while you are away and you need access to these data immediately
- or you modify your data while away and someone else needs data @home immediately.
- or any permutation of these situations.

If it’s only who using DT, there’s little need for remote sync. Just turn on Bonjour sync before leaving and when returning.

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**Author:** ![anton](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@anton](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/anton)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2026, 9:12am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/more-than-one-sync/87669/5 "2026-09-19T09:12:18Z")

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May I ask which sync method takes priority when both are enabled _and_ available…? That is, I’m on the same network as Mac and my iPhone.

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![chrillek](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/chrillek/32/29340_2.png) [@chrillek](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/chrillek)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2026, 9:13am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/more-than-one-sync/87669/6 "2026-09-19T09:13:23Z")

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What do you mean by “priority”? They’ll both run, if they can. And they’ll both do the same things, or at least they should.

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**Author:** ![anton](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@anton](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/anton)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2026, 9:25am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/more-than-one-sync/87669/7 "2026-09-19T09:25:45Z")

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Let’s say I make a change to a document on my Mac in DT.

I’m on the same network with my iPhone as my Mac. That is, both iCloud and Bonjour are available.

Will the change I did on my Mac propagate via iCloud to the DTTG on my iPhone or via Bonjour…?

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**Author:** ![chrillek](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/chrillek/32/29340_2.png) [@chrillek](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/chrillek)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2026, 9:37am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/more-than-one-sync/87669/8 "2026-09-19T09:37:01Z")

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One of them will run first. Then the other one should notice that it has nothing to do in this respect. Or at least that’s what I’d expect to happen.

Why is that important at all?

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**Author:** ![anton](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@anton](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/anton)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2026, 9:46am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/more-than-one-sync/87669/9 "2026-09-19T09:46:42Z")

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Bonjour is obviously superior in terms of sync speed and reliability. But it’s available only on the same network.

If the iCloud would have the priority, that would mean for me a slower sync method from my Mac to DTTG on my iPhone. I often sync large pdf documents and, unfortunately, the internet connection at my home is not fast / reliable. So I’d prefer to have Bonjour to take over of all the local sync.

But! Once I’m on the go, it is nice to have iCloud sync in place.

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**Author:** ![chrillek](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/chrillek/32/29340_2.png) [@chrillek](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/chrillek)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2026, 10:44am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/more-than-one-sync/87669/10 "2026-09-19T10:44:59Z")

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> [@anton](#):
>
> But! Once I’m on the go, it is nice to have iCloud sync in place.

If you are on the go:

- Does someone else at your home add/modify your DT databases?
- Do you add/modify DT databases that someone at your home needs to work with?

If the answer to both is “no”, then what do you need iCloud sync for? As long as it’s only _you_ working with your databases, they are automatically up-to-date when you are on the go, because nothing changes at home.

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**Author:** ![tinksquared](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/tinksquared/32/39350_2.png) [@tinksquared](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/tinksquared)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2026, 10:47am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/more-than-one-sync/87669/11 "2026-09-19T10:47:45Z")

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I only need Bonjour Sync to transfer all my files to my new MacBook. Or I guess I could keep it in place, just switch the device that’s the master (or whatever it’s called).

Once that’s done, I will disable it and stick with CloudKit. I need CloudKit because I keep a copy on my phone. My mom has Alzheimer’s and I am her primary caretaker. I need a copy of her information with me at all times.

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**Author:** ![tinksquared](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/tinksquared/32/39350_2.png) [@tinksquared](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/tinksquared)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2026, 10:50am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/more-than-one-sync/87669/12 "2026-09-19T10:50:46Z")

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I thought I remembered that to sync to an iOS device, you had to use CloudKit and not Bonjour, which is why I originally switched?

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**Author:** ![rmschne](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/8baadc/32.png) [@rmschne](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/rmschne)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2026, 10:51am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/more-than-one-sync/87669/13 "2026-09-19T10:51:50Z")

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> [@tinksquared](#):
>
> I keep a copy on my phone. My mom has Alzheimer’s and I am her primary caretaker. I need a copy of her information with me at all times.

Not to be “nit-picking” but isn’t that information “on your phone”? DEVONthink ToGo doesn’t store databases in CloudKit–all that is there is “special” data that enables synch.

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**Author:** ![chrillek](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/chrillek/32/29340_2.png) [@chrillek](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/chrillek)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2026, 10:54am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/more-than-one-sync/87669/14 "2026-09-19T10:54:45Z")

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> [@tinksquared](#):
>
> I could keep it in place, just switch the device that’s the master

There is not really a “master” (and the term is a bit tarnished, imo) in this situation. You must not activate incoming Bonjour connections on more than one machine. But that’s all there is to it: every participant in the bonjour sync will have the same data as every other at the end of the process.

> [@tinksquared](#):
>
> I need CloudKit because I keep a copy on my phone

That is a misguided assumption. Your iPhone can just as well use Bonjour sync as your Mac. And if no one modifies data on your Mac while you’re away and you do _need_ that modified data, there’s nothing CloudKit does for you that Bonjour doesn’t do.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rmschne](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/8baadc/32.png) [@rmschne](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/rmschne)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2026, 12:04pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/more-than-one-sync/87669/15 "2026-09-19T12:04:26Z")

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While I have DropBox setup to sync, it keep it turned off as I’ve learned that relying on Bonjour exclusively makes the total sync time much quicker–not only because Bonjour is quick, but also avoids two or more sync steps. Less time for DEVONthink ToGo on iOS to be “busy” synching. Yes, more than one sync service works, but my view, like @chrillek, unless there is a reason to use a third-party remote service, then don’t. Reason should prevail, IMHO. I’m also not relying on “sync” to be any sort of backup for DEVONthink databases.

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**Author:** ![SlickSlack](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@SlickSlack](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/SlickSlack)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2026, 3:03pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/more-than-one-sync/87669/16 "2026-09-19T15:03:31Z")

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I use Dropbox and Bonjour at the same time to sync a Mac mini, MacBook Pro and an iPhone (RIP the OG iPad Pro)  
I split syncing into Bonjour for daily use DBs with high activity(journal, catch-all scrapbook) and DropBox for DBs with larger data activity that I don’t usually access on my phone (document trackers and email archives). I don’t bother keeping the email archives on my phone. After a gig wraps I archive the email before they kill the email account, zip it and store it in a DropBox folder.  
I can also remote into both computers over Jump to change how the other computer is syncing if there’s a problem but I haven’t had to do that since I gave up on iCloud syncing. Mostly I remote in to move a downloaded file that I neglected to put into DEVONthink in the first place.  
Dropbox is 99.99% effortless sync for me but Bonjour is faster where I need it.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tinksquared](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/tinksquared/32/39350_2.png) [@tinksquared](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/tinksquared)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2026, 9:45pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/more-than-one-sync/87669/17 "2026-09-19T21:45:03Z")

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All worked out, both syncs set up and running on the new Mac. Yippee!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tinksquared](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/tinksquared/32/39350_2.png) [@tinksquared](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/tinksquared)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2026, 9:49pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/more-than-one-sync/87669/18 "2026-09-19T21:49:19Z")

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Um… not sure? I have to download each time whatever I need to see, it doesn’t stay on my phone, just a link.

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**Author:** ![stratadata](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/stratadata/32/35651_2.png) [@stratadata](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/stratadata)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2026, 2:11am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/more-than-one-sync/87669/19 "2026-09-20T02:11:56Z")

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> [@chrillek](#):
>
> Yes, you can. But why do you want to?

I’ve been caught out several times with this scenario:

I make changes (sometimes extensive) in DT4 on my “base” iMac, head out to a meeting or outing, grab my laptop on my way out the door which has been closed on my desk or left in my bag since the last outing, and when I open it up to do some more work, it hasn’t synced over Bonjour.

Even more so for my phone and iPad, which I rarely use at home for DTTG, but primarily when I’m out and about, laptop is present or in my bag, and I want to quickly check a file or group I’ve recently worked on.

(I need to check again if my iMac is still halting iCloud syncing after a variable (of course) amount of time. Being stationary, it makes sense for it to have iCloiud sync on to help that scenario.)

Sean

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**Author:** ![rmschne](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/8baadc/32.png) [@rmschne](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/rmschne)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2026, 5:49am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/more-than-one-sync/87669/20 "2026-09-20T05:49:11Z")

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> [@tinksquared](#):
>
> I have to download each time whatever I need to see, it doesn’t stay on my phone, just a lin

From my perch here where I cannot see the Sync settings on your iOS device, it appears something other than sync method is amis.

Read in DEVONthink ToGo Help the section “Everything of Just the Metadata”. Too much there to repeat here, but most importantly check what the manual calls “Granularity” for what you have downloaded and resident on your device.

[Next page](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/more-than-one-sync/87669.md?page=2)