Setting Up Obsidian Synchronization Between iOS and Windows: A Personal Journey
Transitioning to Obsidian: Moving from Notion to Local Data Storage
I had long considered switching from Notion to Obsidian. While I appreciated Notion's organizational capabilities and its ease of adding entries via mobile, I yearned for more control over my data. Specifically, I wanted local storage in an open format.
In the past, I used plain .md files managed within a git repository. This approach had its drawbacks, such as the manual management of links between files, which often resulted in isolated notes and daunting reorganization tasks. With Obsidian, however, my workflow is set to change significantly — and for the better!
Synchronizing Between iOS and Windows: Challenges and Solutions
The initial challenge was setting up synchronization between devices. On iOS, there's no official Syncthing application. Instead, I encountered MobiusSync, a solution that attempts to upsell immediately upon download (with a 20 MB limit). Needless to say, it was promptly removed.
The next hurdle was accessing files: Obsidian struggles with external folders due to iOS API restrictions, making direct synchronization via cloud services impractical.
The Dropbox Solution
Ultimately, I opted for synchronization using the community plugin “Remotely Save” alongside Dropbox. Initially, a 50% change limit hindered synchronization (leading to silent error logs), but increasing this threshold to 90% resolved the issues. Although my test vault was small, it successfully passed synchronization tests.
Future Directions
Next steps include synchronizing plugins and visual themes, with plans possibly extending to other cloud solutions like OneDrive or Yandex Disk, or even setting up a personal server.
An Exciting Prospect: Obsidian LiveSync
Looking ahead, I'm intrigued by LiveSync, which involves configuring a custom server for synchronization — an exciting advancement in my journey with Obsidian.
Conclusion
I hope sharing my experience will help others seeking efficient and unrestricted note management solutions. Choose the system that best aligns with your needs and enhances your workflow!