Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThe safest arrangement is two separate systems: one live synchronization method for editing the same vault on your laptop, desktop and phone, plus a one-way backup copied from one main device to an independent destination. Obsidian Sync is the broadest officially supported choice for mixed Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android setups, but Sync is not a backup.
Keep a complete local vault on every device that needs to edit it. Then copy the vault folder—including the notes, attachments and any configuration you intentionally want to preserve—from your most-used device to an external drive, NAS or separate cloud-backup location. Retain dated snapshots and periodically test a restore.
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Sync and backup solve different problems
Obsidian stores a vault as ordinary files in a folder. A synchronization service propagates additions, edits and deletions between copies of that folder. A backup is a separate copy kept so you can recover from deletion, overwriting, corruption, device loss or ransomware. If a bad change synchronizes, every connected copy can receive the same damage.
Obsidian states this plainly in its backup guidance: “Syncing is not a backup.” Read the full explanation at Obsidian’s backup documentation.
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- Sync: keeps working copies aligned, usually automatically or on demand.
- Backup: is intentionally one-way, retained independently and used for recovery.
- Version history: may let you retrieve earlier content, but it is not a substitute for an independently controlled copy.
Using two live synchronization systems on the same vault is unsafe. Obsidian warns that overlapping services can create conflicts, duplicate files or corruption. Select exactly one live sync method.
The safe architecture for a multi-device vault
- One vault folder per device. Each computer or mobile device keeps a local copy that Obsidian can open.
- One live sync service. Use exactly one of Obsidian Sync, iCloud, OneDrive, Google Drive, Syncthing or a Git workflow for active synchronization.
- One main backup device. Choose the computer you use most often and make backups from that device, rather than allowing every device to write to the backup destination.
- One independent destination. Copy the vault one way to a disconnected drive, NAS or separate cloud-backup location.
- Several dated snapshots. Keep more than the newest copy so an unnoticed mistake can be recovered from an earlier date.
This arrangement limits the damage a synchronization mistake can cause: the live system may propagate an error, while the independent snapshots remain available for recovery.
Prepare the vault before enabling synchronization
Make a first full copy
Close Obsidian and pause or close competing cloud clients before the first migration. In your file manager, copy the entire vault folder to a temporary location. Open that copy only to confirm that representative notes and attachments are present; do not use it as a second live vault.
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Decide what belongs in the copy
Markdown notes and attachments are normally the essential content. The hidden .obsidian folder contains workspace, plugin and vault-configuration data. Decide whether those settings should travel between devices. A desktop plugin or theme may not be appropriate on a phone, so selective synchronization of configuration can be safer than blindly copying every setting.
- Include attachments if the notes reference images, PDFs, audio or other files.
- Include
.obsidianconfiguration only when you understand which settings and plugins should be shared. - Keep the original pre-sync copy until the new setup has completed a full synchronization and a test restore.
Prevent cloud placeholders
A file that exists only as an online placeholder can look like a missing note to Obsidian. Make the vault available locally before relying on it:
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- In OneDrive, mark the vault Always keep on this device and avoid Files On-Demand for the vault.
- In iCloud Drive, use Keep Downloaded for the vault.
- In Google Drive, make the vault available offline.
Choose one live synchronization method
The practical choice depends on the devices you use and how much control you need over conflicts, history and storage. The platform descriptions below follow Obsidian’s current guidance; availability and client behavior can change, so confirm the service’s documentation for your operating-system version.
| Method | Documented platforms and automation | Offline and conflict considerations | History and backup status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obsidian Sync | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android; designed for automatic synchronization after a remote vault is configured. | Keeps a local copy. Selective sync and vault-configuration sync let you control what travels to each device. Connect additional devices after the first reports fully synced. | Sync version history is available for synced files. It is not an independent backup. |
| iCloud Drive | Suitable for macOS, iOS and iPadOS. Obsidian warns that iCloud Drive on Windows can cause duplication or corruption. | Keep the vault downloaded. Avoid using the Windows client for a live vault unless you accept the documented risk. | Provider history and retention details are not stated in Obsidian’s guide; maintain your own backup. |
| OneDrive | Documented for Windows and macOS; limited Android functionality and no official iOS support in Obsidian’s guidance. | Use Always keep on this device; do not let Files On-Demand replace local files with placeholders. | Provider history details are not stated in the cited Obsidian guidance; it is not a substitute for a separate backup. |
| Google Drive | Documented for Windows, macOS and Android, with limited iOS support. | Keep files available offline. Use another method for an iPhone or iPad workflow. | Provider history details are not stated in the cited Obsidian guidance; create independent snapshots. |
| Syncthing | Device-to-device synchronization for Windows, macOS and Linux. The official Android app is no longer maintained; Obsidian references a community fork. | Works best when at least one device is continuously available. There is no central always-online vault unless you provide one of your own devices. | Device synchronization is not an independent backup. Retain separate snapshots. |
| Git | Hosted or self-hosted repository workflow; on iOS, Working Copy can provide the Git client workflow. | Push and pull are manual, so you control when changes move between devices. This requires comfort with branches, merges and repository status. | Provides strong repository history, but a repository is still not the same as a separately protected backup unless you maintain independent copies. |
Obsidian’s overview of supported approaches is at Sync your notes across devices. The cited material does not establish a single encryption model, retention period or storage-control policy for every method in the table; review the provider’s current security documentation before choosing one.
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Obsidian identifies its own Sync service as the most straightforward officially supported option when a vault must move among Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
- Finish the local preparation. Close other sync clients, make the full pre-sync copy and decide whether attachments and
.obsidiansettings should be shared. - Create a remote vault. In Obsidian’s Sync settings, create a remote vault for the local vault you intend to synchronize.
- Choose a region. Select the available region that fits your location and organizational requirements.
- Set the encryption password. Record it in a secure password manager rather than inside the vault. Losing it can prevent access to encrypted synchronization data.
- Review selective synchronization. Check which folders, attachments or other file categories should be synchronized. Excluding a folder means it will not be present on every device.
- Review vault-configuration synchronization. Decide whether workspace, appearance, plugins and other configuration should follow the vault. Different device types often need different settings.
- Start the first synchronization. Leave the original device connected and allow the initial upload to finish. If you change relevant settings, restart Obsidian when prompted or when the client requires it.
- Check the status. Do not connect the next device until the first device reports that it is fully synced. Compare a few notes and attachments with the pre-sync copy.
- Connect each additional device one at a time. Install Obsidian, sign in to the same Sync account, select the remote vault and choose the local destination. Wait for a fully synced status before opening or editing the vault extensively.
Obsidian’s detailed setup sequence is documented at Set up Obsidian Sync. Its settings and selective-sync options are described at Sync settings and selective syncing.
Platform-specific cautions for other methods
iCloud Drive on Apple devices
For a Mac, iPhone or iPad workflow, keep the vault inside iCloud Drive/Obsidian/[Vault Name] and ensure it remains downloaded locally. iCloud Drive on Windows is specifically warned against by Obsidian because duplication or corruption can occur. Do not combine iCloud with another live sync service for the same folder.
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OneDrive
On Windows or macOS, keep the vault on the device with Always keep on this device. Files On-Demand is unsuitable for a vault that Obsidian must read continuously. Obsidian’s guidance describes Android functionality as limited and does not provide official iOS support for this workflow.
Google Drive
On Windows, macOS or Android, mark the vault for offline availability so notes are real local files. Obsidian’s guidance describes iOS support as limited; use a different live-sync method for an iPhone or iPad rather than assuming the desktop folder will appear there correctly.
Syncthing
Syncthing sends files directly among your devices. Plan for at least one continuously available device; if every device is asleep, changes cannot propagate until one returns. The official Android application is no longer maintained, and Obsidian points readers toward a community fork, so verify that the client you install is maintained and compatible before entrusting it with the live vault.
Git
Git is suitable when you want explicit commits, reviewable history and a hosted or self-hosted repository. It is not automatic: you must commit, push, pull and resolve conflicts. On iOS, a Git client such as Working Copy can provide the repository workflow, but mobile editing still requires careful pull and push discipline.
Create an independent, one-way backup
Back up from the main device—the computer where the vault is used most often and where you can inspect files easily. Do not make every phone and computer write directly to the same backup destination.
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External hard drive or SSD
Copy the complete vault folder to a portable drive, then safely eject it and store it separately from the working computer. A drive that stays permanently attached and writable is exposed to the same theft, hardware failure and ransomware event as the source. Keep multiple dated folders, such as a monthly snapshot and more frequent recent copies.
USB flash drive
A flash drive is convenient for periodic or emergency copies: copy the folder, verify that representative notes and attachments open, safely unmount the drive and remove it. Do not make a single flash drive your only backup; it is easy to lose or damage.
NAS
A network-attached storage system suits experienced users who want multiple drives and additional recovery mechanisms. Configure the NAS as a backup destination, not as the sole live vault, and check its drive-health alerts, access controls and snapshot or retention features.
Separate cloud-backup service
A dedicated backup service can provide an off-site copy while the live vault remains in its synchronization location. Review account security, encryption, retention, deletion behavior and restore procedures. A second folder inside the same live-sync account is not independent enough if deletions and ransomware are synchronized there too.
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- Pause or finish active synchronization on the main device.
- Copy the entire vault folder, including attachments and any selected
.obsidianconfiguration. - Name the destination with the date and, if useful, the device or vault name.
- Open several copied notes and attachments from the destination, not from the live vault.
- Safely eject or disconnect removable media, or confirm that the cloud/NAS copy has completed.
- Keep at least one copy disconnected or otherwise protected from automatic synchronization.
Use history and recovery features correctly
Obsidian Sync version history
Obsidian Sync records versions of synced files. If a note was overwritten or changed incorrectly, open the Sync version history for that file and inspect an earlier version before restoring it. Version history covers files that were synchronized; it does not protect unsynchronized local data or replace a separately retained vault copy. Details are in Obsidian’s Version history documentation.
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File recovery
File recovery keeps local history on each device. It is therefore device-specific: a history available on a laptop may not exist on a newly configured phone. Treat it as a convenient short-term safety net, not as your only recovery plan.
Restore without damaging the live vault
- Make a temporary copy of the current live vault.
- Restore the suspected snapshot or historical note into a separate folder.
- Compare the recovered files with the current versions and identify exactly what is missing or incorrect.
- Copy only the needed files back into the live vault after synchronization is paused or stable.
- Allow the chosen sync method to propagate the deliberate correction, then create a new backup snapshot.
Verify that your backup can actually be used
A completed copy operation proves only that bytes were copied. Schedule a small restore test at intervals that match how valuable the vault is.
- Open a copied Markdown note and an attachment from the backup destination.
- Confirm that filenames, links and folders are present.
- Open the copied folder as a separate Obsidian vault only after closing the live vault, so you do not accidentally edit the backup.
- Check that dated snapshots are genuinely different and have not all been overwritten by one synchronized deletion.
- Confirm that at least one snapshot is disconnected or protected against automatic deletion.
- Record where the backup is stored and how to retrieve the encryption password or repository credentials.
Troubleshoot common failures
A note appears missing on one device
First check whether selective sync excluded its folder or attachment type. Then confirm that the cloud file is downloaded locally: use Always keep on this device, Keep Downloaded or offline availability as appropriate. Do not immediately create a replacement note with the same name, because that can turn a temporary placeholder problem into a conflict.
Duplicate or conflicted files appear
Stop editing the affected vault on all devices. Confirm that only one live sync method is enabled and close other sync clients. Preserve the conflicting files in a separate folder, decide which content is authoritative, merge manually, then resume the single sync service.
The first device never reaches fully synced
Check the network connection, available local storage, attachment limits and selective-sync choices. Leave the device running until the queue clears. Do not connect additional devices or delete the local copy while the initial state is uncertain.
An old note was overwritten
Use Sync version history if the file was synchronized, or File recovery on the device where the earlier content existed. If neither contains the needed version, inspect the dated independent snapshots and restore from a copy rather than editing the only remaining live file.
A device is lost or replaced
Do not recreate the vault from memory. Install Obsidian on the replacement, connect it to the one chosen sync method, wait for a complete local download and verify several notes and attachments. If the remote copy is also damaged, restore a dated independent snapshot first, then let the live sync service distribute the recovered files.
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- Use a unique, strong account password and multi-factor authentication where the synchronization or backup provider supports it.
- Store the Obsidian Sync encryption password, repository credentials and backup account recovery codes outside the vault.
- Limit who can access a NAS or cloud-backup account; a shared login undermines recovery and auditability.
- Protect removable drives from theft, heat, moisture and accidental overwriting.
- Keep one backup disconnected or protected from automatic deletion so a synchronized ransomware event cannot erase every copy.
- Before selecting a provider, read its current encryption, retention, account-recovery and deletion policies. The Obsidian guidance does not establish identical security terms for every third-party method.
A decision guide
- Mixed Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android: start with Obsidian Sync, then add an independent one-way backup.
- Apple-only devices: iCloud can fit the platform, provided the vault stays downloaded and you avoid the Windows workflow Obsidian warns about.
- Windows/macOS with limited mobile needs: OneDrive or Google Drive can work when files are always available offline and the mobile platform is supported.
- Several computers under your control: Syncthing is an option when at least one device is reliably available and you accept the maintenance of a device-to-device network.
- Technical users who want explicit commits: Git offers strong history and manual control, but requires disciplined push, pull and conflict resolution.
Whichever option you select, keep the rules unchanged: one live sync method, local files on working devices, a one-way backup from one main device, dated snapshots and a tested restore.
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