I have Syncthing configured on a Synology. I plan to allow my family to install SyncTrayzor on their Windows PC’s and backup to my Synology through the interwebs (yes I have a solid firewall). I am probably going to set up trash can versioning for 7 days but don’t understand the process of how to get a file back to THEIR computer when they delete something, and want it restored. Sure, I see the file in the .stversions on the Synology and I can copy it out to another location, but is there something I’m missing like a button to click that says “restore file to original location” … or would that be too easy? Thanks for your time!
Syncthing’s file versioning is for preserving a file whenever a peer device shares a new version, rather than as a backup-and-restore feature, so it’s up to you to get a file back to the person who wants it (for a deeper dive, see https://docs.syncthing.net/users/versioning.html).
Ideally, use a purpose-built backup tool, for which there are a lot of options to choose from: https://wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_backup_software
If the chosen backup tool doesn’t have a P2P feature, one option is to configure the backup tool to archive the files on the Windows PCs, then use Syncthing to transfer the backup archive to your Synology. Downside is that it’s not the most efficient solution because it loses the advantage of sending only missing chunks.
There are a lot of possible solutions, but not enough details about your setup (e.g. are all the Windows PCs on the same network as the Synology?) to provide more recommendations.
None of these computers will be on my home network - they are at distant homes. I am trying to offer my family a “dropbox” style backup with a lot more space and no cost to them. I have not made up my mind if I am going to offer trash can or simple file versioning yet but since the Synology is on my LAN in the basement. I’m pretty sure they are not running any additional backup tools, just relying on OneDrive, GoogleDrive, and Dropbox which they are filling up and don’t really want to pay for more storage. Hence my offer.
I’m sure it will work fine but I was hoping for an EASY button for me to restore the occasional deleted file without having to email it or put it on a webserver, or give them a Synology FileStation account (which might be a simple solution since they all do have VPN access) …
Have you tried just using the Syncthing web GUI? There is a “Versions” button under each folder on the main screen, and then a new window pops up with a full-fledged interface to navigate the versioned files tree with single or mass restore functionality.
Maybe you have already considered the following, but just in case you haven’t…
What you are doing is fine, as long as you are aware that a syncronized copy like this is, in itself, not a backup. For example, it protects them in case of loss of a device, but it does not protect them from ransomware or accidental deletions. I recommend that you use a real backup program to backup the files on your Synology.
I personally backup my Ubuntu desktop with Duplicity to a Truenas box which then backups to another Truenas box, which also backs up to the Synology, which then Sync’s to a friend’s Synology. Yeah, maybe a little heavy on the 3-2-1. As for family, they don’t really use their laptops/desktops as much any more and use cloud services instead, which is a direction that I’ve pushed them to save a few bucks on M$ products. Their primary complaint is backing up their mobile phone pictures and the myriad of apps from Verizon, Samsung, Google, OneDrive, and Dropbox all of which start charging fees after a predefined limit. I’m trying to get them familiar with Syncthing on their computers then I will work on their mobile devices and hopefully reduce their confusion with the different services, half of which they did not realize they were using. I am now playing with the “versions” button to make sure I understand it before I tell them about it. Since I control versions on the Syncthing/Synology I have to see if the versions button on THEIR Syncthing GUI is for the files they are saving locally, or on my Syno/Syncthing and if so that takes care of the “restore” issue. Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions and apologies if I am posting from multiple accounts but I haven’t taken the time to find the logoff button to login to the same account 
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Ah. Found the logoff button!
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Thank you for the direction on the Version button. I found that once I turned on trash can versions on my Syno/Syncthing, then deleted a file from the user desktop, that file is visible in the Versions button on my Syno/Syncthing. It was restored and there was a pop up msg from Synctrazor shortly after I selected the version and clicked Restore.
So now that i have my cake can I eat it, too? Is there a way for the user to initiate that same type of restore from their desktop (assume they are remote and do not have access to my Syno/Syncthing GUI)? Thanks!
You just need to find one more friend with a Synology box, then you can have a “4-3-2” backup. 
(Hopefully the backup scheme includes at least occasionally testing restores.)
Oh yes, and they weren’t tests 
. For some reason the idea of saying “4-3-2-1” makes me want to duck.
That’s the catch with versioning. It cannot work locally, because Syncthing only knows about file changes and deletions once they’ve already happened. This is why you can only version files that have been modified or deleted on remote devices. There are methods to sync the versions folder itself, however I don’t believe there’s any easy way to be able to use the versions GUI with it.
Ditto! 
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