Use Trilium’s own synchronization protocol, not a general-purpose file-sync folder. The dependable setup is a Trilium sync server that your desktop clients connect to; Trilium also documents direct desktop-to-desktop synchronization over a reachable local network. Before syncing, create an independent backup, use HTTPS with a valid certificate, keep client and server clocks within five minutes, and let each client finish syncing before you edit on another device. Trilium resolves simultaneous edits by retaining the newer note version; the older version remains available in note revisions rather than being merged into the current note.
What Trilium synchronization actually does
Trilium is local-first on desktop: each installation keeps its own local database. Synchronization is the process that exchanges Trilium data between those installations through Trilium’s synchronization protocol. In the conventional arrangement, a Trilium sync server acts as the central endpoint and multiple desktop clients connect to it. The user guide also documents a direct desktop-to-desktop route when the computers can reach one another on a local network.
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This is different from placing Trilium’s live data directory in a folder watched by a cloud-drive or file-synchronization application. A database can be open and changing while such a service copies individual files. Trilium’s FAQ says that approach is unsafe because it can corrupt the database, and identifies a Trilium sync/web server as the supported network method.
Synchronization is also not a backup. Sync propagates the state of a database between active clients. A backup is a separate copy kept so you can restore after corruption, deletion, hardware failure, or an incorrect synchronization decision. Keep both arrangements.
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Choose a topology before you configure anything
| Arrangement | Best for | What you need | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trilium sync server | Regular use across several desktops and persistent access from different networks | An initialized Trilium sync server, a network address, an account, and clients configured in Options → Sync | You must maintain the server, its HTTPS certificate, clock, storage, and backups |
| Desktop-to-desktop over LAN | Occasional synchronization between computers that are on the same reachable local network | Two desktop installations that can connect directly; LAN access must be enabled in Trilium versions from 0.104.0 onward | It is not a cloud path and is unavailable when the devices cannot reach each other |
| Separate backup copy | Recovery from corruption, accidental deletion, or a bad restore | A backup created through Trilium and an independent destination such as another computer or external storage | It does not keep two live databases synchronized |
For a PC and phone, the practical arrangement is normally a desktop connected to a sync server, with the mobile frontend opened in a phone browser or installed as a progressive web app where supported. Trilium’s current setup documentation contains the mobile-frontend instructions. The reviewed documentation does not establish a universal native-app compatibility matrix or an offline guarantee, so do not assume that every phone feature works like the desktop client.
Prerequisites and safety checks
Do these checks before the first synchronization:
- Install compatible Trilium clients. Use the current desktop release and follow the setup labels shown by that release; menu names can change between versions.
- Prepare a server or a reachable LAN. A server must be uninitialized for the initial client setup described in the guide. For direct synchronization, both computers must be able to reach one another.
- Use a stable hostname or address. Every client needs the same server address, including the correct protocol and port.
- Set clocks automatically. Trilium requires client and server time to match within five minutes for synchronization to succeed.
- Create an independent backup first. Use Settings → Backup, download or copy the resulting backup, and verify where it is stored before changing sync settings.
- Plan HTTPS. Use a valid certificate signed by a trusted certificate authority. Do not treat certificate-verification bypasses as a normal configuration.
Set up a Trilium sync server
The server-based workflow is the most practical choice when several devices need a continuing, central synchronization point.
- Deploy an uninitialized Trilium sync server. Install the server build according to Trilium’s current setup documentation and make it reachable from the desktop that already contains your notes. Do not copy an existing live database into a shared file-sync directory.
- Secure the server endpoint. Configure HTTPS with a valid signed certificate before connecting clients. Confirm that the hostname used by clients matches the certificate and that the server’s firewall exposes only the required service.
- Open the existing desktop client. In Trilium, go to Options → Sync → Sync server. Enter the server address and the account credentials requested by the server.
- Run the connection test. Select Test sync. A successful test confirms that the client can authenticate and communicate with the endpoint; it does not replace the initial transfer.
- Start the first synchronization. After the test succeeds, the client begins pushing its existing data to the server. Leave Trilium running and avoid editing the same notes elsewhere until the initial upload has finished.
- Verify the server-side result. Check the server after the transfer completes. Confirm that the expected note tree and recent changes are present before treating the server as your central copy.
The initial upload can be larger than later synchronizations because it establishes the server’s copy. Do not interrupt the process merely because the interface appears idle; use the client’s status information and verify on the server.
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- Install Trilium on the second computer and start it without importing a database into a shared folder.
- Choose the setup option for connecting to an existing sync server.
- Enter the same server address and the account credentials authorized for that server.
- Allow the client to complete its first synchronization. The official setup flow redirects into Trilium after synchronization finishes.
- Open several known notes and check recent revisions on both computers. This confirms that you connected the intended account and server rather than an empty or different instance.
Repeat this process for each additional desktop. Treat the first completed synchronization as a checkpoint: if a client appears empty, stop editing and verify its server address and account before making changes.
Use desktop-to-desktop synchronization on a LAN
Trilium documents a direct desktop-to-desktop method for situations where the computers can reach one another on the same local network. It avoids installing a separate server, but it is not a replacement for a server when you need synchronization while devices are apart.
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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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- Connect both computers to the same network and confirm that local firewall rules allow the Trilium connection.
- On the relevant Trilium installation, enable LAN access. This requirement applies to versions from 0.104.0 onward.
- Follow the desktop-to-desktop setup option in the current user guide, using the address and credentials shown by the participating instance.
- Keep both applications open until the transfer completes, then inspect a recently edited note on each computer.
Do not expose a LAN-only endpoint directly to the public internet. If you need access from outside the local network, use a properly secured sync server rather than forwarding an unprotected desktop port.
How to use Trilium from a phone
Official product material positions mobile access through a browser or progressive web app. The exact mobile frontend and installation prompts can change, so use the current mobile section of Trilium’s setup documentation for the release you run.
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- Make the sync server reachable from the phone’s network, using a normal HTTPS address and a certificate the phone trusts.
- Open the mobile frontend address in the phone browser and sign in with the account configured for the server.
- If the frontend offers an install-to-home-screen or progressive-web-app prompt, follow that prompt rather than installing an unrelated database-sync utility.
- Create or edit a small test note, wait for it to synchronize, and verify the change on the desktop client before relying on the phone for important work.
The available documentation does not establish a universal native mobile app matrix or guarantee offline editing. Plan on network access unless the current mobile documentation for your version explicitly says otherwise.
Protect the connection and data
Use a valid HTTPS certificate
Trilium’s synchronization guide recommends HTTPS with a valid signed certificate. A certificate that is expired, self-signed without being trusted by the client, issued for a different hostname, or missing an intermediate certificate can make a healthy server appear unreachable.
Do not use NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED=0 as a routine fix. The guide warns that this setting disables certificate verification and exposes the connection to man-in-the-middle attacks. Correct the certificate chain, hostname, or client trust configuration instead.
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Keep clocks within five minutes
Successful synchronization requires the client and server clocks to match within five minutes. Enable automatic time synchronization on every computer and on the server. If a client suddenly stops syncing after a battery failure, virtual-machine pause, or manual clock change, check the system time before changing database settings.
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The developer documentation describes protected notes as being synchronized in encrypted form, with integrity checks that do not require decrypting the content. That is technical context for protected notes; it is not a blanket promise that every piece of server-side data is end-to-end encrypted. Use HTTPS, strong account credentials, restricted server access, and independent backups regardless of whether a note is protected.
Why Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, and similar file sync are unsafe
Trilium’s FAQ gives a direct answer to using a general-purpose file-synchronization service for the live database: No. Those applications copy files while another application may be opening, locking, or rewriting the database. A partially copied database, mismatched journal file, or conflicting write can corrupt the data.
The same warning applies to a shared network folder, a Syncthing job, or any other tool that mirrors Trilium’s live database files without speaking Trilium’s synchronization protocol. The problem is not whether the service can copy quickly; it is that it has no knowledge of Trilium’s transactions, note identities, revisions, or integrity checks.
You may copy a closed backup archive to cloud storage or an external drive. That is a backup workflow: stop or safely quiesce the application, create the backup through Trilium, then copy that separate file. Do not point a file-sync service at the active data directory and call the result synchronization.
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What happens when two devices edit the same note
Trilium does not describe simultaneous edits as a paragraph-by-paragraph merge. Its user guide states:
If you edit the same note on multiple instances before synchronization, Trilium resolves conflicts by retaining the newer change and discarding the older one.
The older version remains accessible through note revisions. In practical terms, this is last-change-wins behavior with a recovery path, not automatic content merging. A sentence added on one device and a different sentence added on another can leave only the newer note in the current state.
Prevent avoidable conflicts
- Let the current device finish syncing before switching to another device.
- When working offline, avoid editing the same note on multiple devices.
- For long sessions, trigger or wait for synchronization before closing the first device.
- If a note is important, make a deliberate revision or backup before making large structural changes.
Recover an apparently missing change
- Stop editing the affected note on every device so you do not create another newer version.
- Open the note’s revision history on the device that currently shows the newer content.
- Find the older revision by timestamp and inspect it for the missing text.
- Copy the needed material into a new deliberate edit, then allow all clients to synchronize.
- If the revision is not present, stop and restore from an independent backup rather than repeatedly editing competing copies.
After synchronization, Trilium computes a hash of synchronized data on the client and server. The guide says it automatically initiates recovery when it detects a discrepancy. This integrity mechanism can detect certain synchronization inconsistencies; it is not a guarantee that every user error, deletion, or hardware failure can be reversed.
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Create a backup that can actually restore your notes
Use the built-in backup
Open Settings → Backup to create and download a backup, then verify the destination and that the file can be read. Trilium automatically makes database copies on the following schedule:
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| Trigger | Documented behavior |
|---|---|
| Daily | An automatic database copy is created daily |
| Weekly | An automatic database copy is created weekly |
| Monthly | An automatic database copy is created monthly |
| Before a database migration | An automatic copy is created before migration |
| Retention | At most four backup points are kept |
The backup guide calls this a basic solution and encourages an additional arrangement, such as storing a copy on another computer or in cloud storage. Four rotating points may not cover a mistake discovered months later, and they do not protect against loss of the same machine that holds every copy.
Keep an independent copy
- Download a backup from Trilium and copy it to storage that is independent of the live database.
- Use at least one destination that would not be lost with the Trilium server, such as another computer or removable storage kept separately.
- Record the date and Trilium version associated with each backup.
- Periodically test the restore procedure on a non-production instance.
- Protect backup files because they contain your notes and may include sensitive material.
Restore a synchronized setup consistently
If a database belongs to a configured synchronization cluster, restore the backup across all members rather than restoring one member and immediately reconnecting it to newer members. The backup guide warns that restoring only one member can cause the older restored version to be detected and synchronized toward a newer version. Take the cluster offline as needed, restore consistently, then reconnect clients and verify the note tree before normal editing resumes.
No official numeric recovery-time or recovery-point guarantee is established. The amount of work recoverable depends on your last backup, completed synchronization, and available note revisions.
Troubleshoot common synchronization failures
| Symptom | Likely cause | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Test sync fails immediately | Wrong address, blocked port, invalid certificate, or incorrect credentials | Recheck the complete HTTPS address, certificate hostname and chain, firewall rules, and account credentials. Do not disable certificate checking. |
| Certificate warning appears | Expired, self-signed, mismatched, or incomplete certificate | Install a valid trusted certificate and use its matching hostname. Correct the server configuration instead of setting NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED=0. |
| Client reports a time-related error | Clock difference greater than five minutes | Enable automatic time synchronization on both client and server, then retry after the clocks agree. |
| New client shows no notes | Initial synchronization has not finished, or the client is pointed at the wrong server/account | Wait for completion, confirm the account and server address, and verify the server’s note tree before editing. |
| A change disappeared | A newer edit on another instance won the conflict | Open note revisions and recover the older version’s content; do not assume Trilium merged both edits. |
| Database corruption follows file copying | A cloud-drive, shared folder, or file-sync tool copied live database files | Stop the file-sync job, restore from a known-good Trilium backup, and move to the supported sync-server or LAN workflow. |
| One synchronized member was restored | The restored database is older than other cluster members | Stop synchronization and restore the consistent backup across all members before reconnecting the cluster. |
| LAN synchronization cannot connect | LAN access is disabled, devices are on different networks, or a firewall blocks the connection | Enable LAN access (required from version 0.104.0), verify local reachability, and allow the necessary connection through the host firewall. |
A safe day-to-day workflow
- Start work on one device and allow it to synchronize before making substantial edits.
- When moving to another device, wait for the first device’s sync status to finish.
- Keep the server online and monitor available storage so synchronization is not interrupted by a full disk.
- Use note revisions as the first recovery tool after a conflict.
- Make periodic independent backups through Settings → Backup and verify their locations.
- Test a restore on a separate instance before you need it in an emergency.
- When upgrading or migrating, retain the pre-migration backup and do not delete older copies until the new setup is verified.
Decision guide: which method fits your situation?
- Several devices, different locations, or phone access: use a Trilium sync server over HTTPS.
- Two desktops that meet on the same home or office network: desktop-to-desktop LAN synchronization can avoid a separate server, provided LAN access is enabled and the devices remain reachable.
- Occasional archival or disaster protection: create a Trilium backup and store the separate file elsewhere; do not use that copy as a live synchronized database.
- Considering a cloud-drive folder or file mirror: do not use it for the active database. Trilium’s supported network method is its sync/web server.
Bottom line
To sync Trilium Notes without losing changes, connect desktop clients to a Trilium sync server, or use the documented LAN desktop-to-desktop method when both computers are nearby. Secure the connection with trusted HTTPS, keep clocks within five minutes, and maintain an independent backup. Assume that a simultaneous edit is resolved by keeping the newer version; use note revisions to recover the older one. Never synchronize Trilium’s live database by putting its files in Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Syncthing, or another general-purpose file-sync location.
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