diff --git a/src/main/database/connection.ts b/src/main/database/connection.ts
index b05dec9..a16e6ae 100644
--- a/src/main/database/connection.ts
+++ b/src/main/database/connection.ts
@@ -64,7 +64,21 @@ export class DatabaseConnection {
     return this.localDb;
   }
 
-  async initializeRemote(): Promise<DrizzleDB | null> {
+  async initializeRemote(remoteConfig?: { tursoUrl: string; tursoAuthToken: string }): Promise<DrizzleDB | null> {
+    // Update config if new credentials are provided
+    if (remoteConfig) {
+      // Close existing remote connection if credentials changed
+      if (this.remoteClient &&
+          (this.config.tursoUrl !== remoteConfig.tursoUrl ||
+           this.config.tursoAuthToken !== remoteConfig.tursoAuthToken)) {
+        this.remoteClient.close();
+        this.remoteClient = null;
+        this.remoteDb = null;
+      }
+      this.config.tursoUrl = remoteConfig.tursoUrl;
+      this.config.tursoAuthToken = remoteConfig.tursoAuthToken;
+    }
+
     if (!this.config.tursoUrl || !this.config.tursoAuthToken) {
       return null;
     }
diff --git a/src/main/engine/SyncEngine.ts b/src/main/engine/SyncEngine.ts
index 5f723c8..c224d6a 100644
--- a/src/main/engine/SyncEngine.ts
+++ b/src/main/engine/SyncEngine.ts
@@ -64,14 +64,17 @@ export class SyncEngine extends EventEmitter {
     // Start auto-sync if enabled
     if (config.autoSync && config.syncInterval > 0) {
       this.syncIntervalId = setInterval(
-        () => this.sync('bidirectional'),
+        () => this.fullSync('bidirectional'),
         config.syncInterval * 60 * 1000
       );
     }
 
-    // Initialize remote database connection
+    // Initialize remote database connection with the provided credentials
     const db = getDatabase();
-    await db.initializeRemote();
+    await db.initializeRemote({
+      tursoUrl: config.tursoUrl,
+      tursoAuthToken: config.tursoAuthToken,
+    });
 
     this.emit('configured', config);
   }
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/handlers.ts b/src/main/ipc/handlers.ts
index b87b075..3e93f09 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/handlers.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/handlers.ts
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ export function registerIpcHandlers(): void {
 
   ipcMain.handle('sync:start', async (_, direction: SyncDirection = 'bidirectional') => {
     const engine = getSyncEngine();
-    return engine.sync(direction);
+    return engine.fullSync(direction);
   });
 
   ipcMain.handle('sync:getStatus', async () => {
@@ -337,9 +337,28 @@ export function registerIpcHandlers(): void {
 
   // ============ Dropbox Sync Handlers ============
 
-  ipcMain.handle('dropbox:configure', async (_, config: DropboxSyncConfig) => {
+  ipcMain.handle('dropbox:configure', async (_, config: Partial<DropboxSyncConfig>) => {
     const engine = getDropboxSyncEngine();
-    return engine.configure(config);
+
+    // Inject local project paths so the engine knows where files live
+    const projectEngine = getProjectEngine();
+    const activeProject = await projectEngine.getActiveProject();
+    const projectId = activeProject?.id || 'default';
+    const paths = projectEngine.getProjectPaths(projectId);
+
+    const fullConfig: DropboxSyncConfig = {
+      accessToken: config.accessToken,
+      appKey: config.appKey || '',
+      appSecret: config.appSecret,
+      refreshToken: config.refreshToken,
+      syncEnabled: config.syncEnabled ?? true,
+      syncInterval: config.syncInterval ?? 60,
+      localPostsDir: paths.posts,
+      localMediaDir: paths.media,
+      remoteBasePath: config.remoteBasePath ?? (config as any).remotePath ?? '',
+    };
+
+    return engine.configure(fullConfig);
   });
 
   ipcMain.handle('dropbox:isConfigured', async () => {
diff --git a/src/renderer/App.tsx b/src/renderer/App.tsx
index 60d8553..74f20b9 100644
--- a/src/renderer/App.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/App.tsx
@@ -46,6 +46,31 @@ const App: React.FC = () => {
           setMedia(media as MediaData[]);
         }
 
+        // Re-configure sync backends from saved credentials
+        const savedCreds = localStorage.getItem('bds-credentials');
+        if (savedCreds) {
+          try {
+            const creds = JSON.parse(savedCreds);
+            if (creds.tursoUrl && creds.tursoToken) {
+              await window.electronAPI?.sync.configure({
+                tursoUrl: creds.tursoUrl,
+                tursoAuthToken: creds.tursoToken,
+                autoSync: true,
+                syncInterval: 5,
+              });
+            }
+            if (creds.dropboxAccessToken && creds.dropboxAppKey) {
+              await window.electronAPI?.dropbox?.configure({
+                accessToken: creds.dropboxAccessToken,
+                appKey: creds.dropboxAppKey,
+                remotePath: creds.dropboxRemotePath || '/blog',
+              });
+            }
+          } catch (e) {
+            console.error('Failed to restore sync configuration:', e);
+          }
+        }
+
         // Check sync status
         const syncConfigured = await window.electronAPI?.sync.isConfigured();
         setSyncConfigured(syncConfigured || false);
@@ -136,10 +161,12 @@ const App: React.FC = () => {
     );
 
     unsubscribers.push(
-      window.electronAPI?.on('sync:failed', () => {
+      window.electronAPI?.on('sync:failed', (errorMsg: unknown) => {
         setSyncStatus('error');
         showToast.dismiss();
-        showToast.error('Sync failed');
+        const message = typeof errorMsg === 'string' && errorMsg ? errorMsg : 'Unknown error';
+        showToast.error(`Sync failed: ${message}`);
+        console.error('Sync failed:', message);
       }) || (() => {})
     );
 
diff --git a/src/renderer/components/SettingsView/SettingsView.tsx b/src/renderer/components/SettingsView/SettingsView.tsx
index 342f85a..117d860 100644
--- a/src/renderer/components/SettingsView/SettingsView.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/components/SettingsView/SettingsView.tsx
@@ -185,6 +185,7 @@ export const SettingsView: React.FC = () => {
           autoSync: true,
           syncInterval: 5,
         });
+        useAppStore.getState().setSyncConfigured(true);
         showToast.success('Cloud sync configured');
       } else {
         showToast.success('Credentials saved');
@@ -232,6 +233,7 @@ export const SettingsView: React.FC = () => {
       case 'turso':
         newCreds.tursoUrl = '';
         newCreds.tursoToken = '';
+        useAppStore.getState().setSyncConfigured(false);
         break;
       case 'dropbox':
         newCreds.dropboxAccessToken = '';