Sync conflict
Also known as: conflicted copy, file sync conflict, merge conflict file
A sync conflict happens when the same file is changed in two places before the cloud can reconcile them — for example, edited offline on two devices. Rather than lose work, the service keeps both versions, often saving the extra one as a "conflicted copy".
- Created when one file is edited in two places
- Both versions are kept to avoid losing work
- Extra "conflicted copy" files are safe to remove after review
Why conflicts happen
Cloud sync assumes one change at a time. When two devices edit the same file while one is offline, or two people save at nearly the same moment, the service ends up with two valid but different versions of the same file and cannot safely merge them.
To avoid silently discarding changes, it preserves both. Dropbox labels the extra one a "conflicted copy" with the device or user name appended; OneDrive and others keep a second copy or prompt you to choose which to keep.
Cleaning up conflicted copies
Conflicted copies are real duplicates that take up space in both the cloud and your local folder. Once you have compared them and merged any changes you need, it is safe to delete the redundant copy.
To prevent them, let files finish syncing before editing on another device, avoid editing the same file offline in two places, and use a single canonical device for fast-changing files when you can.