Methods, apparatus and systems for altering a scope of data synchronization are disclosed. The scope of data synchronization is altered in real-time via user interactions with the data. In one embodiment, a client device may include folder stubs that reference folders of information stored at a remote server. In response to a user selecting the folder stub, additional folder and/or file stubs provided within the folder are acquired by the client device from the remote server, and a scope of data synchronization is expanded to include the path to the folder referenced by the folder stub. The scope of data synchronization may also be contracted. In response to a user commanding the client device to de-synchronize a synchronized folder, the scope of synchronization may be contracted to exclude the folder and any sub-folders.