Obsidian is one of the best note-taking apps available today. It provides a powerful, Markdown-based experience with local-first storage. However, there is one problem: the official sync feature costs around $8 per month. What if I told you there’s a way to sync your notes across multiple devices completely free? In this guide, I will walk you through a method using GitHub and Git that allows you to keep your notes in sync without spending a dime. What Would Need It could feel that you need to do a lot of things, but don’t worry; in an ideal scenario, you would need about 10–15 minutes and these things: GitHub Account & Repository GitHub Access Token SSH key (optional) Git Obsidian Git Plugin for Obsidian iSH app for iPhone Obsidian App for iPhone Step 1: Create a GitHub Account and Repository GitHub is a cloud-based platform primarily used for software development, but it can also be used for managing personal projects and files — including Obsidian notes. A Git repository (or repo) is a storage space where Git tracks all the changes to a set of files. It records modifications, allowing you to revert to previous versions, collaborate with others, and synchronize your files across different devices. In the context of Obsidian, a Git repository helps store and sync your notes while keeping track of all edits. Go to GitHub.com, and sign up. Once logged in, click on the New button to create a new repository. Give it a name (e.g., “Obsidian-Notes”). Make sure to set the repository to Private so your notes are not publicly accessible. Click Create Repository. Step 2: Install Git on Your Computer If you don’t have Git installed, follow these steps: Windows: Download and install Git from git-scm.com. Mac: Install Git using Homebrew with brew install git. Linux: Use sudo apt-get install git (for Debian-based systems) or sudo dnf install git (for Fedora-based systems). Once installed, open your terminal (Command Prompt, PowerShell, or macOS Terminal) and verify installation by running: git --version Basic Git Commands Here are three essential Git commands that you’ll use frequently: git status This command shows the current state of your repository. It tells you which files have been modified, added, or staged for commit.git status git pull This command fetches the latest changes from the remote repository (GitHub) and updates your local repository. git push After making changes, you need to upload them to GitHub using git push. This command sends your committed changes from your local repository to the remote repository. Step 3: Clone the GitHub Repository Now, let’s connect your local Obsidian vault to GitHub: Open your terminal, and navigate to the folder where you want to store your notes. Run the following command, replacing YOUR-REPO-URL with your GitHub repository URL: git clone YOUR-REPO-URL This will create a local folder linked to your GitHub repository. Move your Obsidian notes into this folder so they are ready for syncing. Step 3. How to Get a GitHub Classic Token GitHub has deprecated password-based authentication for Git operations. Instead, it requires you to use a Personal Access Token (PAT), which provides a more secure way to authenticate. How to Get a GitHub Classic Token Go to GitHub Developer Settings: Open GitHub Token Settings. Click Generate new token → Select Classic. Set Expiration & Permissions: Choose an expiration date or set it to No Expiration (not recommended for security). Select the necessary scopes: repo → For accessing private repositories. Generate and Copy the Token: Click Generate token and copy it immediately. GitHub won’t show it again after you leave the page. Use the Token in Git Authentication: When prompted for a password in Git operations, paste the token instead. Step 4: Set Up SSH for Authentication (Optional) To avoid entering your password every time you sync, you can set up SSH authentication: Generate an SSH key by running: ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your-email@example.com" Copy the SSH key using: cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub Go to GitHub, navigate to Settings > SSH and GPG keys, and add the copied key. Now, your system will authenticate with GitHub automatically. Step 5: Set Up Git Plugin in Obsidian I assume you already have the Obsidian App, which is why I won’t cover the installation process for it here. I will only show you the quick steps to install the Git plugin. Obsidian has a plugin that makes Git syncing easier: Open Obsidian, and go to Settings > Community Plugins. Search for “Git,” and install it. Enable Auto Commit and Sync (set an interval, e.g., 5 minutes). Enable Pull on Startup to prevent conflicts. Now, whenever you edit notes, Obsidian will sync them automatically with GitHub. Step 6: Syncing Notes on Mobile (iOS, iPhone, iPad) Syncing on mobile is slightly more complicated but still doable. Install Obsidian from the App Store. Install iSH, a terminal app that allows you to run Linux commands. iSH App Open iSH, and install Git using: apk add git Create a folder for your obsidian notes: mkdir obsidian Run the mount command to mount the obsidian vault folder. mount -t ios . obsidian A file picker will show up. Choose the folder with your local vault. Then use the following commands: cd obsidianrm -rf .git clone YOUR-REPO-URL . Once this step is done, you will see your notes in the Obsidian application. Step 7: Install Obsidian Git Plugin on iPhone The last step in our tutorial - the Git community plugin. Open Obsidian. Go to Settings > Community Plugins. Tap Browse and search for Obsidian Git. Tap Install, then Enable the plugin. Set up an auto-commit interval (e.g., every 5 minutes). Enable Pull on Startup to sync changes when opening Obsidian. Video Tutorial If you are struggling with the steps, I recommend you to watch my detailed video tutorial. https://youtu.be/PScdHzUiBLA?si=C5UNiV7Ou1BJhEbr&embedable=true Conclusion While it takes a bit of setup, once done, it works seamlessly. If you found this guide helpful, let me know in the comments, and feel free to ask any questions! Cheers! ;) Obsidian is one of the best note-taking apps available today. It provides a powerful, Markdown-based experience with local-first storage. However, there is one problem: the official sync feature costs around $8 per month. What if I told you there’s a way to sync your notes across multiple devices completely free? In this guide, I will walk you through a method using GitHub and Git that allows you to keep your notes in sync without spending a dime. Obsidian What Would Need It could feel that you need to do a lot of things, but don’t worry; in an ideal scenario, you would need about 10–15 minutes and these things: GitHub Account & Repository GitHub Access Token SSH key (optional) Git Obsidian Git Plugin for Obsidian iSH app for iPhone Obsidian App for iPhone GitHub Account & Repository GitHub Access Token SSH key (optional) Git Obsidian Git Plugin for Obsidian iSH app for iPhone Obsidian App for iPhone Step 1: Create a GitHub Account and Repository GitHub is a cloud-based platform primarily used for software development, but it can also be used for managing personal projects and files — including Obsidian notes. GitHub A Git repository (or repo) is a storage space where Git tracks all the changes to a set of files. It records modifications, allowing you to revert to previous versions, collaborate with others, and synchronize your files across different devices. In the context of Obsidian, a Git repository helps store and sync your notes while keeping track of all edits. Git repository Go to GitHub.com, and sign up. Once logged in, click on the New button to create a new repository. Give it a name (e.g., “Obsidian-Notes”). Make sure to set the repository to Private so your notes are not publicly accessible. Click Create Repository. Go to GitHub.com , and sign up. GitHub.com Once logged in, click on the New button to create a new repository. New Give it a name (e.g., “Obsidian-Notes”). Make sure to set the repository to Private so your notes are not publicly accessible. Private Click Create Repository . Create Repository Step 2: Install Git on Your Computer If you don’t have Git installed, follow these steps: Windows: Download and install Git from git-scm.com. Windows : Download and install Git from git-scm.com. Windows git-scm.com. Mac: Install Git using Homebrew with brew install git. Mac : Install Git using Homebrew with brew install git . Mac brew install git Linux: Use sudo apt-get install git (for Debian-based systems) or sudo dnf install git (for Fedora-based systems). Linux : Use sudo apt-get install git (for Debian-based systems) or sudo dnf install git (for Fedora-based systems). Linux sudo apt-get install git Once installed, open your terminal (Command Prompt, PowerShell, or macOS Terminal) and verify installation by running: git --version git --version Basic Git Commands Here are three essential Git commands that you’ll use frequently: git status git status This command shows the current state of your repository. It tells you which files have been modified, added, or staged for commit.git status git pull git pull This command fetches the latest changes from the remote repository (GitHub) and updates your local repository. git push git push After making changes, you need to upload them to GitHub using git push. This command sends your committed changes from your local repository to the remote repository. Step 3: Clone the GitHub Repository Now, let’s connect your local Obsidian vault to GitHub: Open your terminal, and navigate to the folder where you want to store your notes. Open your terminal, and navigate to the folder where you want to store your notes. Run the following command, replacing YOUR-REPO-URL with your GitHub repository URL: Run the following command, replacing YOUR-REPO-URL with your GitHub repository URL: git clone YOUR-REPO-URL git clone YOUR-REPO-URL This will create a local folder linked to your GitHub repository. This will create a local folder linked to your GitHub repository. Move your Obsidian notes into this folder so they are ready for syncing. Step 3. How to Get a GitHub Classic Token GitHub has deprecated password-based authentication for Git operations. Instead, it requires you to use a Personal Access Token (PAT) , which provides a more secure way to authenticate. Personal Access Token (PAT) How to Get a GitHub Classic Token Go to GitHub Developer Settings: Go to GitHub Developer Settings: Open GitHub Token Settings. Click Generate new token → Select Classic. Open GitHub Token Settings . GitHub Token Settings Click Generate new token → Select Classic . Generate new token Classic Set Expiration & Permissions: Set Expiration & Permissions: Choose an expiration date or set it to No Expiration (not recommended for security). Choose an expiration date or set it to No Expiration (not recommended for security). No Expiration Select the necessary scopes: repo → For accessing private repositories. repo → For accessing private repositories. Generate and Copy the Token: Generate and Copy the Token: Click Generate token and copy it immediately. GitHub won’t show it again after you leave the page. Click Generate token and copy it immediately . Generate token copy it immediately GitHub won’t show it again after you leave the page. Use the Token in Git Authentication: Use the Token in Git Authentication: When prompted for a password in Git operations, paste the token instead. When prompted for a password in Git operations, paste the token instead. password Step 4: Set Up SSH for Authentication (Optional) To avoid entering your password every time you sync, you can set up SSH authentication: Generate an SSH key by running: Generate an SSH key by running: ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your-email@example.com" ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your-email@example.com" Copy the SSH key using: Copy the SSH key using: cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub Go to GitHub, navigate to Settings > SSH and GPG keys, and add the copied key. Go to GitHub, navigate to Settings > SSH and GPG keys , and add the copied key. Settings > SSH and GPG keys Now, your system will authenticate with GitHub automatically. Step 5: Set Up Git Plugin in Obsidian I assume you already have the Obsidian App, which is why I won’t cover the installation process for it here. I will only show you the quick steps to install the Git plugin. Obsidian has a plugin that makes Git syncing easier: Open Obsidian, and go to Settings > Community Plugins. Search for “Git,” and install it. Enable Auto Commit and Sync (set an interval, e.g., 5 minutes). Enable Pull on Startup to prevent conflicts. Open Obsidian, and go to Settings > Community Plugins . Settings > Community Plugins Search for “Git,” and install it. Enable Auto Commit and Sync (set an interval, e.g., 5 minutes). Auto Commit and Sync Enable Pull on Startup to prevent conflicts. Pull on Startup Now, whenever you edit notes, Obsidian will sync them automatically with GitHub. Step 6: Syncing Notes on Mobile (iOS, iPhone, iPad) Syncing on mobile is slightly more complicated but still doable. Install Obsidian from the App Store. Install Obsidian from the App Store. Obsidian Install iSH, a terminal app that allows you to run Linux commands. Install iSH , a terminal app that allows you to run Linux commands. iSH iSH App Open iSH, and install Git using: iSH App iSH App Open iSH, and install Git using: Open iSH, and install Git using: apk add git apk add git Create a folder for your obsidian notes: Create a folder for your obsidian notes: mkdir obsidian mkdir obsidian Run the mount command to mount the obsidian vault folder. Run the mount command to mount the obsidian vault folder. Run the mount command to mount the obsidian vault folder. mount -t ios . obsidian mount -t ios . obsidian A file picker will show up. Choose the folder with your local vault. A file picker will show up. Choose the folder with your local vault. Then use the following commands: Then use the following commands: cd obsidianrm -rf .git clone YOUR-REPO-URL . cd obsidianrm -rf .git clone YOUR-REPO-URL . Once this step is done, you will see your notes in the Obsidian application. Step 7: Install Obsidian Git Plugin on iPhone The last step in our tutorial - the Git community plugin. Open Obsidian. Go to Settings > Community Plugins. Tap Browse and search for Obsidian Git. Tap Install, then Enable the plugin. Set up an auto-commit interval (e.g., every 5 minutes). Enable Pull on Startup to sync changes when opening Obsidian. Open Obsidian. Open Obsidian. Go to Settings > Community Plugins. Go to Settings > Community Plugins. Tap Browse and search for Obsidian Git. Tap Browse and search for Obsidian Git. Tap Install, then Enable the plugin. Tap Install, then Enable the plugin. Set up an auto-commit interval (e.g., every 5 minutes). Set up an auto-commit interval (e.g., every 5 minutes). Enable Pull on Startup to sync changes when opening Obsidian. Enable Pull on Startup to sync changes when opening Obsidian. Video Tutorial If you are struggling with the steps, I recommend you to watch my detailed video tutorial. https://youtu.be/PScdHzUiBLA?si=C5UNiV7Ou1BJhEbr&embedable=true https://youtu.be/PScdHzUiBLA?si=C5UNiV7Ou1BJhEbr&embedable=true Conclusion While it takes a bit of setup, once done, it works seamlessly. If you found this guide helpful, let me know in the comments, and feel free to ask any questions! Cheers! ;)
