If you use Obsidian on your mobile, sooner or later you'll end up searching How to sync your Android vault with your computer without relying on paid services or dealing with file conflicts. The good news is that you have several ways to set up your own "personal cloud" and also transfer your plugins, themes, and settings from one device to another.
In this article we will see, in considerable detail and without beating around the bush, How to use Obsidian on Android with plugin synchronization and backups We'll use Git, Syncthing, Resilio Sync, OneDrive, and self-hosted solutions on a VPS. You'll see the pros and cons, which folders to ignore, and different levels of complexity depending on your user needs.
Obsidian on Android and cloud backup with Git: a “backup + sync” approach
One of the most powerful approaches to building a Obsidian personal cloud on Android It involves combining Git on your computer with a Git app on your mobile device. This gives you both synchronization between devices and a very streamlined version control system, without relying on Google Drive, OneDrive, or similar services.
In a fairly typical real-world scenario, the user started by using OneSync to keep your vault synchronized with OneDriveOneSync handled uploading and downloading files between the mobile's local storage and the Microsoft cloud: simple to set up, quick to understand, and without any unusual permissions.
The strengths of that system were clear: Direct synchronization with OneDrive (Ideal if you already pay for Office 365), very simple setup, no suspicious permissions, and the ability to enable automatic synchronization by disabling Android battery optimization.
However, problems began to arise in daily use. Every time OneSync did its job, The Obsidian Git plugin on the computer was throwing fatal errorsFurthermore, synchronization wasn't exactly fast: the entire folder had to be uploaded and downloaded from the cloud, which slowed down the workflow, especially with large vaults.
After several tests, the user decided to rely more on Git within Obsidian on the PC. He activated the Git plugin to do Automatic vault backups to a remote repositorySomething that worked wonderfully on the desktop, but was a real pain on Android.
On my mobile device, when I opened Obsidian with the Git plugin enabled, constant pop-up windows appeared, and even worse, Serious errors occurred right after OneSync completed its synchronizationThe coexistence of OneSync + Git plugin on Android didn't quite work.
The first solution was pragmatic: deactivate the Git plugin in OI installed bsidian for Android, leaving the plugin active only on the computer. This eliminated the annoying pop-ups, but a basic problem remained: how to back up the modified notes on the mobile device?
This is where a specific app came into play: Git Sync for AndroidThis application handles pushing changes from the mobile vault to the Git repository in a more controlled way, without conflicting with the desktop Git plugin.
The final architecture of the solution was thus, very clean and easy to replicate:
- In the computerObsidian with the Git plugin (pro or standard version) performing automatic commits and pushes to the remote repository.
- On Android: App Git Sync handling the detection of changes in the local vault and uploading them to the same repository.
When Git Sync is run on the mobile device, push recent changes to the repositoryThen, when you open Obsidian on your PC, the Git plugin automatically handles pulling and retrieving all the changes. The result is fast, stable synchronization without relying on OneDrive or extensions like OneSync.
This way you not only keep the vault coordinated across devices, but you also have continuous backups in the Git repositorywith a detailed version history. And best of all: no intrusive notifications on Android or fatal errors on your computer's Obsidian.
One detail to keep in mind, which goes unnoticed if you don't know it: GitHub (and other Git hosting services) do not sync empty folders.Only directories containing at least one file are saved, so it's a good idea to include a placeholder .md file if you need the entire structure to be replicated.
Syncthing, VPS and personal cloud for Obsidian: a self-hosted solution
There is another type of user who prefers to avoid public clouds and opt for private alternatives and set everything up themselves. Instead of relying on Google Drive, Notion or OneDriveAlternatively, they can deploy their own server and use it as a synchronization hub. This is where Syncthing, combined with a VPS and Obsidian, comes into play.
The basic idea is that a The VPS acts as a master node and backup repositorySyncthing is installed on both the server and client devices (Linux, Windows, Android…) and is configured so that the Obsidian vault folder is shared and synchronized between all of them.
In this scheme, the Obsidian vault is stored in a single folder that functions as source of truthAny changes you make on your phone, desktop, or laptop are propagated almost instantly to the rest of your devices, always passing through the server, which acts as a central hub.
Syncthing is especially attractive for these types of solutions because it is, in essence, the “anti-commercial cloud” alternativeYou don't need to create accounts, there are no subscriptions, there's no provider lock, and you can install it on virtually any operating system (Linux, Windows, macOS, Android, and even certain routers).
By default, Syncthing works as a peer-to-peer network. Devices connect directly when possible, and if that's not possible, they rely on relay servers. Once configured, it's one of those services that, with a little care at the beginning, then It remains in the background, "simply functioning"..
Integrating with Obsidian has one important advantage: The app treats vault settings like normal filesIn other words, themes, plugins, workspace, and shortcuts are stored in the .obsidian folder within the vault. By syncing that folder with Syncthing, you not only transfer the notes but also the entire configuration.
This allows for convenient things like installing a plugin on your Linux PC and, in a matter of seconds, Make it available on Windows and Android as well. without touching anything. The same goes for color schemes, hotkeys, and extension combinations you've worked on.
In addition to basic synchronization, some people add a second layer of security with Git. For example, by scheduling a cron job on the VPS that dump the entire vault to a private repository on GitHubThat copy functions like your brain's "Git history," allowing you to review what you've changed and when, or retrieve previous versions of any note.
To take it a step further, Python scripts can be integrated that also run as scheduled tasks on the server. A very useful practical example is a script that organizes attachments and scattered captures within the vaultmoving them into organized folders. It would be like having a small "Roomba" cleaning the notes folder periodically.
The Syncthing + VPS combination isn't limited to Obsidian. Once you have it up and running, your server effectively becomes a VPS. your personal cloud for any folder: documents, programming projects, working files, or even your Android's DCIM folder.
This way you can have the photos you take with your mobile phone sent directly to the VPS whenever you have WiFi, without needing to... Google Photos or similar. You just have to keep a close eye on the server's disk space, because Images and videos take up considerably more space than text notes..
If you value full ownership of your data, architecture customization, and security, this approach to Syncthing + Obsidian on a VPS It offers a solid alternative to commercial clouds. And, if you don't feel like dealing with servers and networks, you can always turn to specialized companies that design and implement custom cloud infrastructures, with services such as:
- Payment Solution custom applications y custom software integrating note synchronization and Obsidian-based workflows.
- Payment Solutions ciberseguridad and penetration testing to protect your personal cloud and your data.
- Design and deployment of cloud services on AWS and Azure with secure and scalable architectures.
- Projects of Business IntelligenceDashboards and visualization with Power BI.
- Integration of AI for businessAI agents and automations based on custom models.
This way you not only have your Obsidian content under control, but you can also integrate it with business processes, data analysis, and artificial intelligence if you need it at a professional level.
Sync Obsidian with OneDrive, plugins, and settings between mobile and PC
Another common scenario is that of someone who already has OneDrive configured on the computer and wants to leverage it to keep Obsidian synchronized with iOS and Android, including plugins and advanced vault settings.
In this case, the workflow usually starts on the PC: first, the Obsidian vault is created within the synchronized OneDrive folder, then the community plugins and the desired themeand a plugin like Remotely Save is configured to manage the connection with OneDrive in a more granular way.
Within Remotely Save, you use the OneDrive authorization link, log in, and adjust the connectivity options. From there, you can export part of the configuration (for example, the OneDrive portion) using a QR code that the plugin generatesThat QR code is then scanned from the mobile phone to replicate the configuration.
On iPhone (or Android), the process would be something like this: install Obsidian, create a vault with the same name, enable community plugins, add the Remotely Save plugin, and use it. authorization link with OneDriveWhen scanning the QR code from the camera, the Obsidian app applies the imported partial settings, which may include the theme, storage path, or plugin parameters.
After this, the user usually checks the folders created by Obsidian in OneDrive They appear both in the PC file explorer and in the mobile file app., verifying that the directory structure matches and that basic synchronization is working.
The problem arises when, despite the vault files appearing to be properly synchronized, Community plugins and certain preferences haven't fully transferred from the computer to the phone.There is often a lack of clear guidance on which files are synced, which are not, and how to manage settings across platforms.
The key is understanding how Obsidian organizes its adjustments: the The .obsidian folder within the vault stores the global configuration.However, there are specific files for desktop and mobile (for example, workspace.json and workspace-mobile.json), as well as for specific plugins. Additionally, some synchronization methods may exclude these files by default or cause conflicts.
In many cases, for plugins and their settings to consistently reach the mobile device, it is necessary to ensure that The .obsidian folder is fully synchronizedwithout filters, and that the sync plugin itself (Remotely Save, Syncthing, Resilio, etc.) isn't skipping those files. It's also worth checking if the mobile plugin is installed in the same version, as version differences can cause unusual behavior.
For technical but not expert users, this type of problem makes the need for More detailed documentation on full Obsidian synchronizationespecially in combination with services like OneDrive and third-party plugins.
Resilio Sync / Syncthing for “normal” users: ignore lists and best practices
Syncthing and Resilio Sync are probably the most convenient tools for anyone who wants synchronize multiple computers and mobile devices without getting into complex self-hosted Git servers. But there's often a lack of a consolidated guide, designed for the average user, that explains how to configure them with Obsidian without messing up the workspace or plugins.
A practical procedure that has been refined within the community begins with a basic step: Close Obsidian on all devices and leave only one "master" vault connected on the main computer. On that machine, the entire vault folder (including .obsidian) is stored on a cloud service or backup drive, which can also serve as extra version control or a differential copy.
Then Resilio Sync (or Syncthing, if you prefer free software) is installed on all devices and the vault folder is shared so that synchronize bidirectionallyIt is recommended to disable "on-demand archiving" and similar features, and on your mobile device, enable automatic suspension of the sync app to save battery, remembering to launch manual syncing before or after editing notes.
A key aspect of this strategy is the management of the ignore list file. This file specifies which files or paths should be ignored. you don't want them to sync upIt must be configured on each device, as it is not automatically shared. Creating a hard symbolic link to it makes it easy to keep it accessible and editable.
The idea isn't to block everything from plugins, but to be selective. For example, the following are usually excluded:
- Obsidian workspace files, where the panel layout and some plugin and shortcut settings are stored: .obsidian/workspace, .obsidian/workspaces, .obsidian/workspace.json, .obsidian/workspace-mobile.json y .obsidian/vault-stats.json.
- The file .obsidian/community-plugins.json if you prefer to manually activate and deactivate plugins on each computer.
- Plugin data files that generate constant changes without providing any value when synchronized, such as consistent-attachments-and-links/data.json o update-time-on-edit/data.json, which can fill the noise synchronization history.
- Large files or internal databases such as .smtcmp_vector_db.tar.gz If they belong to an advanced search plugin or AI, you don't need to share them.
The reason for not blocking everything is that there are extensions whose data you do want to see synchronized. A typical example is a plugin that remember the cursor position (remember-cursor-position). In this case, it's important that the position is maintained across devices, so its file is not added to the ignore list.
The recommendation is, after starting synchronization with Resilio or Syncthing, monitor the history of synchronized files and see which files are constantly being modified. Those that are clearly irrelevant to your workflow, or that cause conflicts, should be gradually added to the ignore list.
Regarding usage flow, it's perfectly feasible to have Obsidian open on multiple machines simultaneously, but it's advisable to get into the habit of Wait for the synchronization to finish before starting to edit on the next device.In other words, if you stop typing on your PC, you let everything sync, and only then do you open the vault on your mobile to continue where you left off.
If you're going to update plugins, a reasonable precaution is Close Obsidian on all devices except onePerform the update on that machine, let the folder synchronize completely, and only then reopen Obsidian on the rest.
This method may not have the elegance of Git when handling file and branch differences, but in return it is more direct and requires less technical knowledgeIf you already use Resilio Sync or Syncthing for other folders, integrating Obsidian into your current setup feels very natural.
Over time, and as you strengthen your ignore list based on the behavior of your plugins, you'll end up with a Highly reliable synchronization between multiple computers and Android, keeping the notes always up-to-date and reducing conflicts to a minimum.
With all these pieces—Git, apps like Git Sync, Syncthing, Resilio, OneDrive, and eventually a VPS—you can build very flexible setups to use Obsidian on Android with plugin synchronization and personal cloudThe key is to choose the level of complexity that best suits you and be clear about what gets synchronized, what gets excluded, and how to protect your data with good backups.
