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Use rsync over SSH to sync files between Raspberry Pi displays: SSH encrypts the transfer and authenticates the other device. Enable SSH on the receiving Pi, use protected SSH keys, restrict the transfer account to the directories it needs, and keep rsync and Raspberry Pi OS updated. A direct rsync daemon connection is not encrypted.

How do I use rsync over SSH?

Run the command on the Pi that initiates the transfer. In the example below, the remote Pi sends a directory to the local Pi:

rsync -avz -e ssh <pi_username>@<pi_ip_address>:<pi_folder_name>/ <local_folder_name>/

This adapts Raspberry Pi’s documented rsync example to a Pi-to-Pi transfer. Replace the placeholders with the remote Pi’s username, IP address, and source directory, and the initiating Pi’s destination directory. The options preserve file attributes, show progress in the terminal, and compress data during transfer; the explicit -e ssh selects SSH as the transport.

Rsync’s source and destination order matters: this command copies from the remote Pi to the local Pi. To send files in the other direction, put the local source path first and the remote destination second, for example:

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rsync -avz -e ssh <local_folder_name>/ <pi_username>@<pi_ip_address>:<pi_folder_name>/

A trailing slash on a source directory means to copy its contents into the destination; without it, rsync copies the directory itself. Check the paths and destination contents before running a command as a scheduled or unattended job. These examples are one-way transfers; they do not create a two-way synchronization or resolve conflicting changes.

Prepare both Raspberry Pis

Enable SSH on the receiving Pi

The Pi named in the remote destination or source acts as the SSH server and must have SSH enabled. Raspberry Pi OS disables the SSH server by default. Raspberry Pi documents enabling it through desktop settings, during OS imaging, or through terminal and configuration methods in its remote-access guide.

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Use SSH keys and protect them

Set up key-based authentication so the initiating Pi can authenticate to the receiving Pi without relying on a reusable account password for each transfer. Raspberry Pi’s SSH guidance describes key-authentication options. Keep the private key on the initiating device, limit access to its file permissions, and use a passphrase where practical. A key is a credential: anyone who obtains an unrestricted private key may be able to act as its owner.

Why is SSH safer than direct rsync daemon mode?

Rsync can use SSH as a remote shell or connect directly to an rsync daemon. SSH remote-shell syntax uses a single colon after the host, as in pi@192.0.2.10:/srv/display/; daemon syntax uses a double colon or an rsync:// URL. The rsync manual identifies SSH as the safe default because it authenticates the peer and encrypts the connection: rsync(1) security documentation.

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Arrangement Encryption and authentication When it fits Network and access considerations
Rsync over SSH SSH encrypts the connection and authenticates the peer. Protected Pi-to-Pi transfers without a specific need for daemon modules. Enable SSH on the receiving Pi and limit the SSH account, key, and reachable directories.
Direct rsync daemon The daemon protocol does not encrypt transferred data. Daemon authentication does not add encryption. When daemon modules or other daemon-specific features are needed. Consider exposure, firewall rules, and account/module restrictions; use SSH tunneling or a verified TLS transport when traffic must be protected.

Daemon authentication digest negotiation and supported algorithms may vary by rsync version and build. Do not treat successful daemon authentication as proof that file contents are private in transit. See the rsync manual and the project’s security advisories.

Limit what the transfer account can access

Use a dedicated transfer account where the setup permits, and grant it access only to the directories and operations needed for the display files. The rsync project’s rrsync manual describes restricting an SSH key to rsync activity within a specified directory, including read-only arrangements. Read its shell caveat and test the restriction with the intended commands before depending on it: a restriction that blocks required paths or operations can prevent transfers, while an incorrect setup may offer less isolation than expected.

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Keep rsync and Raspberry Pi OS updated

Check the rsync version installed on each Pi and apply updates supported for its Raspberry Pi OS release. The rsync project says installations older than 3.5.0 should be upgraded; its 2026 security page says version 3.5.0 fixed 33 security issues. The project homepage reports rsync 3.5.1 was released on September 21, 2026 to fix regressions reported after 3.5.0 and add protocol 33. These upstream releases do not establish which version a given Pi has installed: Raspberry Pi OS package versions can lag or differ. Check the installed package and use the operating system’s supported update process rather than assuming the upstream release is already present. Sources: rsync security advisories and rsync project homepage.

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Check the setup before automating it

  • Confirm which Pi initiates the transfer and which one receives it; inspect source and destination order.
  • Verify the exact paths and trailing-slash behavior, especially if the destination already contains files.
  • Confirm SSH is enabled on the remote Pi and that key authentication works from the initiating device.
  • Ensure the account or restricted key can access only the necessary directory and perform only the intended operations.
  • Confirm both Pis are running updated, supported rsync packages and Raspberry Pi OS software.

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