Rclone: preview a file copy before you transfer it
A command-line file-transfer tool for local and cloud storage. Start with a small copy job and a dry run, then check destination and logging behavior.
Requirements
A terminal on a supported Windows, macOS or Linux system and the package matching its architecture. Cloud remotes need your own authorized storage configuration; local tests can use local directories.
Quick start
Use the official downloads page and select your OS and architecture. Extract rclone (rclone.exe on Windows), then follow the official installation guide and release-signing instructions. The stable tag checked on October 28, 2026 is v1.75.2, released October 9. Configure only the storage you intend to use. For an initial copy, prepare a small directory and run the documented copy command with --dry-run before removing that option. Boloop has not installed or run Rclone for this recommendation.
A command-line file-transfer tool for local and cloud storage. Start with a small copy job and a dry run, then check destination and logging behavior.
Start with a small, inspectable copy
Rclone provides a command-line interface to local directories and many storage services. It suits repeatable file-transfer jobs where you want to inspect the source, destination and options. Begin with a small test directory and preview the copy with --dry-run before an actual transfer.
Copy and sync have different effects
The official copy documentation says identical files are skipped and extra destination files are not deleted. Copy can still update a changed file at the same path. It copies a directory’s contents, rather than wrapping them in another directory named after the source. The separate sync command has deletion semantics; choose the operation deliberately and inspect the result rather than treating every transfer as a backup.
Check how your scripts read logs
In issue 10189, static-moonlight reports variable-looking fractional-second timestamps from --log-format=json on v1.75.2 under Linux. Maintainer ncw explains that these are fractional seconds in RFC 3339, not a fixed-width microsecond field. A log parser should accommodate that format. This discussion concerns logging behavior; it is not a transfer benchmark.
The latest stable tag checked on October 28, 2026 is v1.75.2. Boloop’s recommendation is based on official documentation and the attributed usage discussion; we have not configured storage or tested transfers.
Sources and further reading
- Rclone: storage providers and project documentationOfficial documentation · Rclone contributors
- rclone copy: destination and directory semanticsOfficial documentation · Rclone contributors
- Installation and release-signing guidanceOfficial documentation · Rclone contributors
- Release v1.75.2Official documentation · Rclone contributors
- JSON log timestamp discussion #10189Usage record · static-moonlight; ncw and contributors