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Keep a complete copy of your writing project somewhere separate from the live project, and make sure you can open that copy in the app you use. Syncing helps keep devices aligned, but it is not a substitute for a recoverable backup: as Obsidian Help puts it, “Syncing is not a backup.”
What a safe writing-project backup needs
A local-first writing app may store a project as a folder of files or a package rather than a single document. Back up the entire project, including its subfolders and related files. Scrivener’s creator says its project is a package on Mac and a folder on Windows, and that the project’s files must move together; Obsidian defines a vault as a folder of files. See Literature & Latte’s Scrivener backup guidance and Obsidian’s explanation of how it stores data.
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A useful backup is also separate from the live project and available for recovery. Sync propagates changes between devices; a backup preserves a separate copy. If a deletion or unwanted edit syncs, synchronized devices may all reflect that change. Obsidian explains the distinction in its backup guide.
A practical backup routine
- Find the active project. Use your app’s project or vault location controls, then identify the complete folder or package. Include subfolders and associated materials rather than copying only visible chapter files.
- Enable the app’s built-in backups. Find the backup settings for your installed app version and confirm both the destination and how many older copies it retains. Treat this as one layer, not the only copy.
- Make a separate copy. Put a manual or computer-level backup outside the live project and outside the app’s automatic-backup folder. Literature & Latte specifically recommends keeping manual Scrivener backups elsewhere, so a rotating set of automatic backups does not become the only archive.
- Choose a destination with separate failure risk. An external SSD or hard drive, USB drive, NAS, or cloud backup can hold another copy. A drive kept next to the computer may be lost or damaged with it, so consider an off-site copy as well. Obsidian lists these as backup options; its guidance discusses using cloud storage alongside physical storage.
- Keep sync distinct from backup. If your project syncs across devices, choose one device to manage a separate backup process rather than treating every synced copy as an independent archive. Obsidian recommends this approach for synced vaults.
- Check that recovery works. Periodically open or restore a backup copy in the writing app. Confirm that recent chapters, project structure, and any needed supporting materials are present. Do not overwrite the active project during a restore check.
How the main backup options differ
| Method | What it protects | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| App’s automatic backups | Earlier copies of a project, depending on the app’s retention behavior. | Where the backups are stored, how many are retained, and whether the destination is separate from the live project. |
| Manual copy to removable storage | A complete project copy on an external drive or USB device. | Copy the entire project; keep the drive separate from the computer when practical; test that the copy opens. |
| Computer-level backup | Files included in the operating system’s backup configuration. | Confirm the project location is included and that the backup destination is available for recovery. |
| Cloud or network backup | A copy stored away from the computer, depending on the service and setup. | Check that it is a backup with recoverable history, not merely a sync mirror, and that the full project is included. |
| Device sync | Current files across devices. | Sync alone may propagate accidental edits and deletions; pair it with a separate backup. |
App-specific details to check
Scrivener
Scrivener’s project is a package on Mac and a folder on Windows; preserve it as a whole. Literature & Latte advises against using an external drive as the location for the live project and suggests using that drive for backups instead. The support article describes a rotating automatic-backup setting range of 3 to 25 copies and the manual route File > Back Up > Back Up To.... These are product-specific details from Literature & Latte’s support guidance; confirm the controls in your installed version.
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For Windows, the company’s tutorial says the default backup folder can be found through File > Options (or by pressing F12), under Backup, and describes a changed project being backed up when it closes by default. This is version-specific tutorial guidance, so check your own installation’s labels and behavior in the Scrivener for Windows backup and syncing tutorial.
Obsidian
An Obsidian vault is a folder of files. Obsidian’s backup guide recommends a dedicated one-way backup tool and suggests designating one device to manage a backup when a vault is synced. Its sync guide lists Obsidian Sync, iCloud, OneDrive, Google Drive, Syncthing, and Git, with platform-specific caveats.
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- The guide warns that iCloud Drive on Windows may lead to file duplication or corruption.
- It describes Google Drive as unsupported for official Obsidian vault syncing.
- It advises against syncing the same vault through multiple services at once.
- Follow the guide’s advice about keeping files available offline where applicable.
These are Obsidian-specific cautions, not universal rules for other writing apps or file-sync tools.
Mac and Windows computer backups
System-level backups can add another layer beyond an app’s own backups or device sync. Apple explains how to back up a Mac to external storage with Time Machine in its Time Machine backup guide. Microsoft describes Windows 11 file-backup options, including external-drive backup, in its Windows 11 backup and restore guidance. Check that the project’s actual location is included in whichever system backup you use.
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- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
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- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
Before you need to restore
- Know where the live project is and where each backup copy is stored.
- Check that the copy contains the whole project, not only exported pages or selected files.
- Keep at least one recovery copy separate from the live project and its rotating backup folder.
- Open a backup copy with the correct writing app and confirm it contains the material you expect.
- For exact restore steps, use the current instructions for your app and operating system. There is no universal restore menu for every local-first writing app.
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