How to install Synology Drive NAS in Linux

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Got you. On Debian 12/13 the Synology Drive Client often “does nothing” after install because of either (a) missing Qt/X11 libraries, or (b) it starts to the system tray (which GNOME hides unless you enable the app-indicator extension). Here’s a fast way to fix and verify.

Quick fix (do these first)

Open a terminal and run:

# 1) Make sure common deps are present (Qt/X11, Wayland, SSL, secret storage)
sudo apt update
sudo apt install --no-install-recommends \
  libxcb-xinerama0 libxcb-icccm4 libxcb-image0 libxcb-keysyms1 libxcb-render-util0 \
  libxcb-xkb1 libxkbcommon-x11-0 libqt5gui5 libqt5dbus5 qtwayland5 \
  libglib2.0-0 libnss3 libsecret-1-0 ca-certificates

# 2) If you use GNOME, enable tray icons so the window is visible
sudo apt install gnome-shell-extension-appindicator libayatana-appindicator3-1
# log out and back in (or reboot) so the extension loads

Now try launching it from a terminal so you can see errors:

synology-drive

If the UI appears or a small tray icon shows up, you’re good. If nothing still shows, keep going.

If it still won’t open, check these

1. It’s running but only in tray:

   • On GNOME without the app-indicator extension you won’t see the icon. After installing the extension above, log out/in and launch again.

2. Missing “xcb” plugin error (typical message: “Could not load the Qt platform plugin ‘xcb’…”):
   Install the rest of the xcb bits:

   sudo apt install libx11-xcb1 libxcb1 libxcb-render0 libxcb-shm0 libxcb-randr0 libxcb-shape0
   

3. Wayland session quirks:
   If you’re on Wayland and it still won’t show, either install the Wayland plugin (already done above via qtwayland5) or log in to an X11 session once to test.

4. Wrong architecture package:
   Make sure your .deb matches your CPU:

   dpkg --print-architecture
   # should be amd64 on most PCs
   dpkg-deb -I /path/to/synology-drive-client*.deb | grep -i Architecture
   

5. Broken install / deps not resolved:
   Reinstall cleanly:

   sudo apt -f install
   sudo apt install ./synology-drive-client*.deb
   

6. See logs for clues:

   ls -1 ~/.SynologyDrive/logs/
   tail -n +1 -F ~/.SynologyDrive/logs/*.log
   

   Then launch synology-drive in another terminal and watch for errors.

Common messages & fixes

• “qt.qpa.plugin: Could not load the Qt platform plugin ‘xcb’…” → install xcb/qt packages above.

• No window but process exists (pgrep synology-drive) → it’s in the tray; enable app-indicator extension.

• SSL / certificate errors when adding the server → ensure ca-certificates and libnss3 are installed, system time is correct.

If you paste the output of synology-drive when run from a terminal (or any log lines from ~/.SynologyDrive/logs/), I’ll pinpoint the exact missing piece and give you the one-line fix.

How to Install Synology Drive NAS in Linux / Linux මත Synology Drive NAS ස්ථාපනය කරන්නේ කෙසේද

Synology Drive Client is a desktop utility that allows you to sync files and back up your Linux computer to a centralized Synology NAS server running Synology Drive Server . This guide will walk you through the complete installation and configuration process.

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📋 Prerequisites / අවශ්‍ය සූදානම

Before starting, ensure you have:

Requirement	Description
Synology NAS	A Synology NAS with DSM installed (DS220+ for personal, DS1621xs+ for enterprise)
Synology Drive Server	Installed on your NAS via Package Center
Team Folders	Shared folders enabled as team folders in Synology Drive Admin Console
Linux System	Ubuntu 18.04+ (or other Debian-based distributions)
Network	Stable connection between Linux and NAS (test with ping)
NAS Information	IP address/QuickConnect ID, username, password, and sync folder name

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🔧 Step 1: Prepare Your Synology NAS

1.1 Install Synology Drive Server

1. Log into DSM as admin

2. Open Package Center

3. Search for "Synology Drive Server" and click Install 

1.2 Enable Team Folders

1. Open Synology Drive Admin Console

2. Go to Team Folder tab

3. Enable shared folders you want to sync 

1.3 Find Your Connection Details

• For QuickConnect: Go to Control Panel > External Access > QuickConnect (DSM 7.0+) 

• For Local IP: Note your NAS IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.100) 

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💻 Step 2: Download Synology Drive Client for Linux

2.1 Download via Terminal

SSH into your Linux machine and run:

bash

# Download the latest Debian package
wget https://global.download.synology.com/download/Utility/SynologyDriveClient/3.5.0-16064/Ubuntu/x86_64/synology-drive-client-16064.x86_64.deb

Note: If the link fails, visit Synology Download Center, select your product > Desktop Utilities > Synology Drive Client .

2.2 Alternative: Manual Download

1. Download the Ubuntu .deb package from Synology website

2. Transfer to your Linux machine using SCP or FTP

3. Navigate to the download directory

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📦 Step 3: Install Dependencies and the Package

3.1 Update Package List

bash

sudo apt-get update

3.2 Install Required Dependencies

bash

sudo apt-get install -y libwebkit2gtk-4.0-37 libgstreamer-plugins-base1.0-0

3.3 Install Synology Drive Client

bash

# Install the .deb package
sudo dpkg -i synology-drive-client-16064.x86_64.deb

3.4 Fix Any Dependency Issues

If you encounter errors:

bash

sudo apt-get install -f

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⚙️ Step 4: Configure Sync Task

4.1 Launch Synology Drive Client

• With GUI: Find "Synology Drive Client" in your applications menu 

• Without GUI (Command line): Run synology-drive --no-sandbox 

4.2 Run the Setup Wizard

1. Click "Start Now" 

2. Select "Sync Task" 

4.3 Connect to Your NAS

1. Enter your Synology NAS details:

   • IP address or QuickConnect ID (e.g., 192.168.1.100 or your-quickconnect-id) 

   • Username (admin or user with sync permissions)

   • Password

2. Click "Next" 

4.4 Select Sync Mode

Choose your sync direction:

Mode	Description	Use Case
Two-way sync	Changes sync both ways	General file sync
One-way upload	Local → NAS only	Backup local files
One-way download	NAS → Local only	Access files offline

4.5 Choose Folders to Sync

1. Local folder: Browse to select your local directory (e.g., /home/username/Documents) 

2. Remote folder: Select the team folder on your NAS

3. Click "Next" 

4.6 Advanced Settings (Optional)

Click "Advanced" to configure:

• File filters (exclude certain file types like *.iso) 

• Max file size limits

• On-demand sync: Save space by downloading files only when needed (Windows 10 1809+, macOS 12.3+) 

4.7 Complete Setup

1. Review your settings

2. Check "Start sync task automatically" if desired

3. Click "Done" 

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🚀 Step 5: Run in Background (Headless Servers)

For servers without GUI, keep Synology Drive running after closing SSH:

Using Screen

bash

# Install screen
sudo apt-get install screen

# Create a new screen session
screen -S synology-drive

# Launch Synology Drive
synology-drive --no-sandbox

# Detach from screen (Ctrl+A, then D)
# To reattach: screen -r synology-drive

Alternative: systemd Service

Create a systemd service for automatic startup (advanced users).

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✅ Step 6: Verify Sync Status

Check Status Icons

• Blue icon: Syncing in progress

• Green icon: Sync complete

• Gray icon: Paused 

Access Files

• Open your local sync folder to see files

• Changes will automatically sync to/from NAS

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🛠️ Troubleshooting Common Issues

6.1 Cannot Connect to NAS

• Verify Synology Drive Server is installed on NAS 

• Check network connection: ping [NAS-IP]

• Ensure firewall allows connection (port 5000/5001 for HTTP/HTTPS)

• Confirm user has proper permissions in Control Panel > Application Privileges > Synology Drive 

6.2 Permission Issues

If sync fails due to permissions:

bash

# Fix ownership of local folder
sudo chown -R $(whoami):$(whoami) /path/to/local/folder

6.3 Slow Sync

• Check network speed

• Reduce file size limits in advanced settings

• Use QuickConnect for easier remote access 

6.4 On-demand Sync Not Working

For Linux, on-demand sync is currently not supported (Windows/macOS only) . Use regular sync mode.

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🔒 Security Best Practices

• Enable HTTPS: Use port 5001 for encrypted connections 

• Use QuickConnect ID instead of exposing NAS directly to internet 

• Set up 2FA on your NAS for admin accounts

• Configure file filters to avoid syncing sensitive or unnecessary files 

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📝 Summary

You have successfully installed and configured Synology Drive Client on Linux! Your files will now sync automatically between your Linux machine and Synology NAS.

Task	Command/Action
Install	sudo dpkg -i synology-drive-client-*.deb
Launch	synology-drive --no-sandbox
Background	Use screen or systemd
Check status	View icons in system tray or terminal output

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Source: Synology Knowledge Center , Synology Download Center , Community Tutorials