Sync settings overview
Remote vault Shows the currently connected remote vault. Includes a Disconnect button and a Manage button to view all remote vaults your account has access to, including shared vaults. Sync status Shows whether Sync is running, paused, or stopped. Use the Pause or Resume button to control it. Device name Assign a unique name to this device. The name appears in the sync log and in version history, making it easier to track where changes came from. Conflict resolution Choose how Sync handles edits made to the same file on multiple devices before they sync. See Conflict resolution below. Deleted files Use the View or Restore button to browse and recover deleted files. See Version history. Storage usage A progress bar showing how much of your account’s sync storage is used. Updates can take up to 30 minutes due to server-side processing.Selective sync
Selective sync lets you control which file types are uploaded to your remote vault. Files you exclude don’t count against your storage limit — but excluding a file type after it’s already been synced does not remove it from the remote vault.Excluding a file type from sync does not remove it from the remote vault if it was already uploaded. Configure selective sync before you start syncing a vault to avoid using unnecessary storage.
File types
By default, Obsidian Sync enables selective sync for these attachment types:- Images
- Audio files
- Videos
- PDFs
| Plan | Maximum file size |
|---|---|
| Sync Standard | 5 MB |
| Sync Plus | 200 MB |
Change which file types sync
Exclude a folder from syncing
To remove a folder from the exclusion list, select the × button next to its name.
Files always excluded from sync
The following are never synced regardless of your settings:- File recovery snapshots — stored in global settings, not in the vault
- Hidden files and folders — any file or folder starting with
.is excluded, with one exception: the vault’s configuration folder (.obsidian) does sync - Sync settings themselves — sync settings are always device-specific and are never synced
.git, .vscode, .idea, .gitignore.
Vault configuration sync
In addition to notes and attachments, Obsidian Sync can keep your vault settings consistent across devices. Default settings that sync automatically:- Other file types
- Main settings
- Appearance
- Themes and snippets
- Hotkeys
- Active core plugin list
- Core plugin settings
Syncing settings across multiple devices
Sync settings don’t apply instantly on all devices. Follow this workflow when you want to push a settings change across your devices. On your primary device (the source of the change):Apply your changes
Go to Settings → Sync and enable the desired settings under Vault configuration sync.
Enable matching settings
Go to Settings → Sync and enable the same settings under Vault configuration sync.
Settings that require a restart vs. hot reload
Some settings apply immediately; others require a restart:- Hot-reloadable: Most Obsidian configurations, including hotkeys, properties, appearance settings, and configurations for already-enabled core plugins.
- Requires restart: CSS changes (snippets, themes), graph view configuration, and core plugin state changes (for example, enabling or disabling Daily Notes).
Settings profiles
Obsidian Sync can sync multiple configuration folders to the same remote vault. This lets you maintain separate profiles — for example, one for mobile and one for desktop.Set an override config folder
Under Override config folder, enter a name for the profile starting with a period — for example,
.obsidian-mobile.Conflict resolution
A conflict occurs when you edit the same file on two devices before they sync. Conflicts are more common when you work offline for extended periods. Obsidian Sync handles conflicts differently depending on the file type:- Markdown files — changes are merged using Google’s diff-match-patch algorithm.
- All other file types (including Canvas files) — the most recently modified version wins.
- Settings files — JSON settings files are merged; keys from the local JSON are applied on top of the remote JSON.
Configure conflict resolution (Obsidian 1.9.7 and later)
Choose your strategy
Under Conflict resolution, choose an option:
- Automatically merge (default) — combines all changes into one file. May occasionally produce duplicate text.
- Create conflict file — saves a separate conflict file for manual review. The original file keeps the remote version; the conflict file contains local changes.
Meeting notes (Conflicted copy MyMacBook2 202411281430).md
Sync regions
When you create a remote vault, you choose the server region where your data is stored. Available regions:| Region | Location |
|---|---|
| Automatic | Chosen based on your IP address at setup time |
| Asia | Singapore |
| Europe | Frankfurt, Germany |
| North America | San Francisco, USA |
| Oceania | Sydney, Australia |
Host server: wss://sync-xx.obsidian.md.
To move to a different region, follow the change region guide and re-create your vault on the desired server.
Shared vaults
Obsidian Sync lets you invite collaborators to a remote vault. All collaborators must have an active Sync subscription. Shared vaults don’t count toward a collaborator’s vault limit.Invite a collaborator
Remove a collaborator
Collaboration limitations
- Fine-grained permissions are not supported. All collaborators have the same permissions as the vault owner, except that only the owner can invite others.
- Obsidian does not support real-time collaborative editing. Collaborators’ changes appear after they sync, not in real time.
- If multiple collaborators edit the same file simultaneously, Sync merges the changes automatically. Version history lets you review and restore any version.
- Maximum 20 collaborators per shared vault.
- Maximum file size depends on the vault owner’s plan (5 MB for Standard, 200 MB for Plus).