Is rclone safe to use?

Yes, rclone is safe when used properly. Here's what you need to know about its safety:

Security features

Encryption Support

• Built-in encryption: Rclone can encrypt your files before uploading them to any cloud storage
• Industry-standard algorithms: Uses AES-256 encryption for maximum security
• Password protection: Your configuration file can be encrypted with a password

Data Integrity

• Checksum verification: Automatically verifies MD5, SHA1, and other checksums during transfers
• No data modification: Rclone never modifies your original files
• Transfer verification: Ensures files arrive intact at their destination

What makes it trustworthy?

Open Source Transparency

• Publicly auditable code: Anyone can review the source code on GitHub
• Active community: Thousands of users and contributors constantly review and improve the code
• No hidden functionality: Everything rclone does is transparent and documented

Established Track Record

• Years of development: Rclone has been actively maintained since 2014
• Millions of users: Trusted by individuals and enterprises worldwide
• Regular security updates: The maintainers promptly address any security concerns

Safety best practices

Protect Your Credentials

1. Never share your config file - It contains your cloud storage credentials
2. Use config encryption - Protect your config with a password
3. Store backups securely - Keep config backups in a safe place

Be Careful With Commands

• Use --dry-run first: Test commands before running them for real
• Understand sync vs copy: sync can delete files, copy only adds
• Check your paths: Double-check source and destination paths

API Tokens

• Use service-specific app passwords when available
• Regularly rotate your credentials
• Limit permissions to what's necessary

Common concerns

"Can rclone access all my files?"

• Only the folders you explicitly give it access to
• Cloud providers often let you limit app permissions

"Is my data private?"

• Rclone doesn't send your data anywhere except your chosen cloud storage
• No telemetry or tracking
• Your data stays between you and your cloud provider

"What if I make a mistake?"

• Use --dry-run to preview changes
• Keep backups of important data
• Start with test folders when learning