Desktop Connector is not syncing all the files regularly

Autodesk Support

Mar 19, 2025

Products and versions covered

Issue:

Desktop Connector is not syncing all the files from BIM 360 or Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) Docs regularly. Latest file versions are often not available immediately, and the latest versions are only downloaded when opening a file.

Causes:

  • Desktop Connector is not a "sync tool" that syncs all files regularly.

  • Desktop Connector only syncs "on demand" to save local disk space.

Solution:

Desktop Connector displays the "live" folder and file names of a BIM 360 or ACC Docs project in Windows Explorer, but it does not automatically copy the latest file versions to the hard disk. Instead, it only caches the files when they are opened or in use. This technique reduces significantly the amount of disk space and the network traffic consumed by Desktop Connector. 

Follow these recommendations to avoid issues related to unsynced files:

  • Use file locking to prevent multiple users from editing the same file at the same time. See Docs - File Locking.

  • Sync files manually before opening linked files of a type that does not support linking. 
    Note: Currently, only XREF links in DWG files are supported by Desktop Connector. Revit also supports links, but only through "Linking through the cloud" and through "Upload Linked Files", not through Desktop Connector.

Products:

BIM 360; Desktop Connector;

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