How to Keep My Laptop and Desktop in Sync with the Same Files and Apps?

To start, you'll want to ensure that both your laptop and desktop have the same applications installed. For your files, using OneDrive is a solid choice. Just set your important files to sync with OneDrive on both devices, so you can access everything from either one. If you update a file on the laptop, it should show the updated version on your desktop too. Just keep in mind, if you ever have a conflict where files are saved differently on both devices, you'll get a prompt to choose which one to keep.

There are definitely ways to do this! I'll get back to you with some instructions shortly.

I recommend OneDrive as well! I had it working across three computers, and it was seamless. You just save files in OneDrive, and whenever you update something on one computer, all the others get the update as well. If you’re ever in a situation where you inadvertently change the same file on two devices, it will ask you which version you want to keep. When you replace a computer, just log back into OneDrive, and everything will automatically download.

If you prefer to avoid cloud services altogether, you can set up Windows file sharing over your home network. Just create a shared folder on your desktop and access it from your laptop via File Explorer’s network section to copy files manually. For two-way auto sync without using the cloud, try using free software like Syncthing or Resilio Sync. They allow you to sync folders directly over your local network.