Web GUI Walkthrough

The Syncthing web GUI is the primary control plane for managing all your devices, folders, and sync status. This lesson maps every element of the interface to its function.

Core Idea

The GUI is divided into two columns: Folders (left) and Devices (right). Everything you do in Syncthing operates on one of those two primitives.

Accessing the GUI

# Local access (if running on your desktop)
http://127.0.0.1:8384

# Remote VPS access (via SSH tunnel)
ssh -L 8384:localhost:8384 user@vps-ip
# Then open: http://localhost:8384

GUI Layout Overview

┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  [Logo] Syncthing          [Actions ▼]  [?]                   │
├────────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────┤
│  FOLDERS                   │  THIS DEVICE                     │
│  ┌─────────────────────┐   │  Device Name: my-laptop          │
│  │ 📁 Default Folder   │   │  ID: K3X2R...                    │
│  │ Status: Up to Date  │   │  Version: v1.27.8                │
│  │ /home/user/Sync     │   │  RAM / CPU: 42 MB / 0.1%         │
│  └─────────────────────┘   ├──────────────────────────────────┤
│                            │  REMOTE DEVICES                  │
│  [+ Add Folder]            │  ┌──────────────────────────┐    │
│                            │  │ 💻 my-home-nas           │    │
│                            │  │ Status: Connected (Local) │    │
│                            │  └──────────────────────────┘    │
│                            │  [+ Add Remote Device]           │
└────────────────────────────┴──────────────────────────────────┘

The Folder Panel (Left Column)

Each folder card shows you the synchronization status for one shared folder.

Folder Status Indicators

Status	Meaning
Up to Date	All connected peers have the same version of every file
Syncing (X%)	Actively downloading/uploading changes to/from peers
Scanning	Hashing local files to detect changes
Sync Preparing	Building the list of changes to sync
Out of Sync (N items)	Changes exist that haven't fully propagated yet
Stopped	Folder is paused or has an error
Error	A filesystem or permission error — click to see detail
Disconnected	No peers for this folder are currently online

Clicking a Folder

Clicking a folder card expands it and reveals:

• Path: The local directory path.
• Global State: Total files/size across all devices.
• Local State: What is currently on this device's disk.
• Out of Sync (to global): Changes this device still needs to receive.
• Edit / Actions: Rename, delete folder from Syncthing, pause, rescan.

The Device Panel (Right Column)

This Device (Top Card)

Shows stats about the local node:

• Device Name: A human-friendly label you set.
• Device ID: The 56-character unique ID. Share this with peers to add you.
• Version/Uptime/CPU/Memory: Health stats.
• Download / Upload Rate: Realtime transfer rates.

Remote Device Cards

Each card shows a connected (or configured but offline) peer:

Status	Meaning
Connected (Local)	Direct LAN connection established
Connected (Relayed)	Connected via a relay server (NAT fallback)
Disconnected	Peer not reachable currently
Paused	Manually paused

The Actions Menu

The Actions dropdown (top-right) contains global operations:

Action	When to use it
Show ID	Get your Device ID to share with peers
Web GUI Settings	Change GUI port, password, HTTPS settings
Settings	Core Syncthing config (discovery, relays, limits)
Advanced	Low-level XML config editing
Restart / Shutdown	Restart the Syncthing process

Setting a GUI Password

warning

By default, Syncthing has no authentication on the GUI. If you ever accidentally expose port 8384 to the internet, anyone can control your Syncthing. Set a password immediately.

1. Actions → Settings → GUI tab
2. Enter a GUI Authentication User and GUI Authentication Password
3. Click Save. The browser will prompt for credentials on reload.

Monitoring Sync Progress

When files are actively syncing, you will see:

• The global progress bar near the top showing total data in/out.
• The folder's status change from Up to Date → Syncing (63%) → Up to Date.
• The device card shows live transfer rates (e.g., ↓ 12.4 MB/s ↑ 0 B/s).

Hands-On Practice

1. Open the GUI at http://127.0.0.1:8384.
2. Click Actions → Show ID and note your Device ID.
3. Expand the Default Folder card. Note the local path.
4. Click Edit on the default folder and rename it to something meaningful (e.g., "My Sync Lab").
5. Navigate to Actions → Settings → GUI and set a password.

What's Next

• Running as a System Service