Background

If you’re someone who loves taking notes, organizing your ideas, or documenting your work, you’ve probably come across Obsidian. It’s an amazing note-taking app that’s packed with features. I recently started using it and was impressed by how well it works across platforms like macOS, Windows, Android, and iOS.

In Obsidian, your notes are stored in a Vault, which is essentially a folder where you can create files and organize them with subfolders. It’s perfect for someone like me, who loves to structure everything neatly.

However, there’s a catch: Obsidian doesn’t offer free synchronization across devices. Their paid sync service is great, but it wasn’t something I wanted to invest in right away. Having used Notion before, where syncing is built-in and free, I started looking for other ways to keep my Obsidian Vault in sync between my Android phone and MacBook.

At first, I stumbled upon a method involving Git. While it worked, it was too much of a hassle for regular use. Then I found Syncthing, and honestly, it’s been a game-changer! In this post, I’ll walk you through how I set up Syncthing to keep my Obsidian notes in sync effortlessly.

What is Syncthing?

Syncthing is a free, open-source tool that lets you synchronize files directly between devices. Think of it as your own private sync service—no cloud servers, no subscription fees, just your devices talking directly to each other.

Why I Chose Syncthing:

  • Completely Free: No hidden costs or subscriptions.

  • Privacy First: Your data stays with you—it’s not stored on third-party servers.

  • Cross-Platform: Works on Android, macOS, Windows, Linux, and more.

  • No Manual Intervention: Once it’s set up, it runs automatically in the background.

How Syncthing Keeps Your Data Secure

Here’s what I found cool about how Syncthing works:

  1. Direct Connections: Your devices connect directly to each other without relying on a central server.

  2. Encryption: All data transferred between devices is encrypted using TLS (the same technology used for secure websites).

  3. Device Verification: You manually pair devices using unique IDs, so no unauthorized device can access your files.

In short, it’s safe, fast, and works like magic once it’s set up.

Setting Up Syncthing to Sync Obsidian Notes

Here’s the step-by-step process I followed to get my Obsidian Vault syncing between my MacBook and Android phone.

Step 1: Install Syncthing on Both Devices

On macOS:

  1. Go to the Syncthing website and download the macOS version.

  2. Alternatively, if you use Homebrew, you can install it by running:


brew install syncthing
  1. Once installed, start Syncthing by typing:

syncthing

This will open a web interface in your browser (usually at http://localhost:8384).

On Android:

  1. Download the Syncthing app from the Google Play Store.

  2. Open the app, grant necessary permissions, and follow the basic setup instructions.

Step 2: Create and Share the Obsidian Vault Folder

On macOS:

  1. Open the Syncthing web interface in your browser.

  2. Click Add Folder.

  3. Set up the folder:

  • Folder Label: Name it something like “Obsidian Vault.”

  • Folder Path: Choose the location of your Obsidian Vault on your Mac.

  1. Save the folder.

On Android:

  1. Open the Syncthing app.

  2. Under the Folders tab, tap + to add a new folder.

  3. Select the folder where your Obsidian Vault is (or create one).

  4. Save the folder.

Step 3: Pair Your Devices

  1. On macOS, go to Actions > Show ID in the Syncthing web interface. Copy your Device ID.

  2. On your Android device, tap Devices > Add Device, and paste the Mac’s Device ID.

  3. Now, share your Android device’s ID with your Mac. On the Mac’s Syncthing interface, click Add Remote Device and enter the Android’s Device ID.

Once both devices are paired, you’ll see them listed in the Syncthing interfaces.

Step 4: Start Syncing

  1. On the Mac, edit the folder settings (your Obsidian Vault folder) and share it with the Android device.

  2. On Android, accept the folder sharing request.

  3. Syncthing will now sync your Obsidian Vault between the two devices automatically!

Testing the Setup

Here’s how I made sure everything was working:

  1. I created a new note in my Obsidian Vault on my Mac.

  2. Within seconds, the note appeared in the Vault on my Android phone.

  3. I also edited a note on my phone, and the changes synced back to my Mac almost instantly.

It was seamless!

A Few Extra Tips

  1. Start Syncthing Automatically:

  • On macOS, you can use Automator or create a launch script to start Syncthing automatically when you log in.

  • On Android, enable Syncthing to run in the background.

  1. Ignore Unnecessary Files:

Create a .stignore file in your Vault folder to exclude temporary or cache files from syncing. For example:


.DS_Store

*.log
  1. Backup Your Notes:

While Syncthing is reliable, it’s always a good idea to back up your Vault regularly.

Final Thoughts

Using Syncthing has made managing my Obsidian notes across devices so much easier—and the best part is, it’s free and fully under my control. It may take a little effort to set up initially, but once it’s running, you can forget about it and focus on your notes.

If you’re using Obsidian and looking for a free, secure way to sync your notes across devices, give Syncthing a try. It might just become your new favorite tool, as it has for me!

You can read more about it’s working and explore more about syncthing here at Syncthing’s official documentation