Rsync Windows 10 & Best Alternative [How-to Guide]

Can You Use Rsync on Windows 10?

✅ Quick answer: Yes, although Rsync isn't built into the system like it is on Linux or macOS, you can still run a Linux distribution on Windows 10 using third-party tools such as WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux).

Rsync is a powerful command-line tool originally developed for Linux and Unix systems to sync files and directories between different locations and works locally or remotely using SSH, making it ideal for syncing data between two folders, drives, even multiple devices or servers.

It compares files from the source and destination and transfers only changed files instead of copying everything again, and supports automation through scripts or a scheduler. This makes Rsync incredibly efficient -especially when working with large data sets or performing regular backups.

So many users are looking for Rsync Windows 10 or the best alternative to sync files or folders, which I’ll explore next.

How to Download and Use Rsync for Windows 10

Here are 3 options to download and use Rsync for Windows 10, including WSL, Cygwin, and cwRsync.

Option 1: Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

Installing Rsync through WSL allows you to run Rsync natively inside a Linux environment on Windows-it’s stable, fast, and works just like on Linux systems.

Step 1. Press Win + S, type Windows Features, and select Turn Windows features on or off. Scroll down and check Windows Subsystem for Linux. Click OK and restart your computer.

Step 2. Open the Microsoft Store. Search for Ubuntu, Debian, or another Linux distro and click Get to install a Linux Distribution

Step 3. Open your installed Linux app (e.g., Ubuntu). Type sudo apt update && sudo apt install rsync -y and press Enter to install Rsync.

Step 4. Type Rsync commands to sync files.

rsync -av /mnt/c/Users/YourName/Documents/ /mnt/d/Backup/

⚠️Notes: 
✔/mnt/c/ and /mnt/d/ are your Windows drives in Linux format.
✔ -a stands for archive mode while -v for verbose output..

Option2: Cygwin

Cygwin provides a Linux-like terminal in Windows and allows Rsync to run as if it’s on Linux.

Step 1. Go to the Cygwin official website and download the setup file for Windows (32-bit or 64-bit). Run this installer. When asked to select packages, search for rsync and select it for installation.

Step 2. After installation, open the Cygwin Terminal. You can now use Rsync commands like:

rsync -av /cygdrive/c/Users/YourName/Documents/ /cygdrive/d/Backup/

⚠️Note: Cygwin Works great for local file sync or syncing over your LAN. It just needs a bit more setup than WSL. Users often need to manually adjust environment variables, handle permissions, or configure SSH for remote sync.

Option 3: cwRsync

If you don’t want to deal with Linux or complex setups, cwRsync is perfect as it’s a Windows port of Rsync without requiring Linux environment and features a more Windows-friendly interface

Step 1. Download the cwRsync Client version from reliable sources and extract the package. Optional: for easy access, add Rsync to your system path.

Step 2. Open Command Prompt and use Rsync commands directly, for example:

rsync -av "C:\Users\YourName\Documents" "D:\Backup"

Common Rsync Issues on Windows 10 (and Fixes)

Even though Rsync is powerful, it can sometimes throw errors or run into issues on Windows. I’ll show 3 common errors and how to fix it easily.

#1: Rsync Not Recognized as an Internal or External Command

This usually means Rsync isn’t added to your system path, so Windows doesn’t know where to find it.

Step 1. Find your Rsync installation folder (for example: C:\Program Files\cwRsync\bin)and copy the path.

Step 2. Press Win + S, type sysdm.cpl, and press Enter. It will navigate to the System Properties window.

Step 3. Under the Advanced tab, click Environment Variables. Under System variables, find and select Path, click Edit> New, then paste the Rsync path. Click OK to save it.

#2: Permission or SSH Errors

You might not have the right access permissions, or SSH authentication isn’t set up correctly for remote transfers.

• Run Command Prompt or your Rsync terminal as Administrator.
• Make sure your remote server allows SSH connections.
• If you’re using SSH keys, confirm they’re correctly generated and stored in your .ssh folder.

Example command using SSH:

rsync -avz -e "ssh -p 22" user@remote_host:/path/ /local/path/

#3: Slow Transfer Speeds or Interrupted Sync

• Add the compression flag -z for faster transfers:rsync -avz source/ destination/
• Use --exclude to skip unnecessary files:rsync -av --exclude '*.tmp' source/ destination/
• Run Rsync with Administrator rights to prevent permission issues.
• For large data sets, use stable network connections and consider resuming with the -partial flag if a transfer gets interrupted.

Best Rsync Alternative for Windows 10 - AOMEI Backupper Standard [GUI & Automatic]

If you want to use Rsync for Windows 10 without a complex setup, using the best free sync tool - AOMEI BackupperStandard is an excellent choice. With a powerful Sync feature and a user-friendly interface, all users can use it easily and quickly.

Step 1. Download, install, and launch AOMEI Backupper Standard on Windows 10. Then, select Sync > Basic Sync.

Step 2. Click Select Source/Add Source to choose your source folders. Then, select another path as the destination, such as another local drive, an external disk, NAS, etc.

Step 3. Click Schedule Sync and enable it for automatic sync. It can be daily, weekly, monthly(by week/date), etc., or specific event triggers. Click Start Sync to get started.

Final Thoughts

Rsync is a powerful and reliable file synchronization tool, but it’s not very beginner-friendly on Windows 10. Setting it up often requires extra installations, Linux knowledge, and manual command-line work.

For most users, AOMEI Backupper Standard is an easier and safer Rsync alternative for Windows 10. Featuring a GUI interface, full Windows compatibility, powerful sync features, etc., it enables efficient file syncing.