Syncthing

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Open source continuous file synchronisation directly between your devices, without a cloud.

PlatformWindows, macOS, Linux, Android

Setup

The steps below cover a Windows PC and an Android phone. They apply to any folder you want to sync. For software-specific settings, see Obsidian and MusicBee further down.

1. Install Syncthing on the PC

1. Download Syncthing from syncthing.net. On Windows, Syncthing Tray (or the regular installer) is handy, as it starts automatically and sits in the system tray.
2. Start it. The admin page opens in your browser at http://127.0.0.1:8384.
3. Enable autostart, so it runs whenever the PC is on.

2. Install Syncthing on the phone

1. Install Syncthing-Fork via Google Play or F-Droid. The official Android app is no longer maintained.
2. Grant the requested storage permissions and allow the app to run in the background.

3. Pair the devices

1. On the PC, go to Actions → Show ID. A QR code appears.
2. On the phone, open the Devices tab, tap + and scan the QR code.
3. A "New Device" notification appears on the PC. Confirm with Add Device.

4. Share a folder from the PC

1. Click Add Folder.
2. General: enter a name and pick the folder as the Folder Path.
3. Sharing: tick your phone.
4. File Versioning: choose Trash Can File Versioning or Staggered File Versioning, so you can recover a file that was changed or deleted by accident.
5. Ignore Patterns (optional): some software needs a few files left out of the sync, see its section below.
6. Save.

5. Accept the folder on the phone

1. A notification asks you to accept the shared folder. Tap Add.
2. Pick a location in internal storage.
3. Let the first sync finish completely (status "Up to Date").

6. Test

Create a new file on the PC and check that it shows up on the phone. Then do the reverse.

Keeping it reliable

• Battery optimization: turn it off for Syncthing-Fork, otherwise Android kills the app.
• Wi-Fi / charging only: set this in the app if you want to save mobile data.
• Both devices must be online to sync. If you have an always-on device (NAS, Raspberry Pi, server), install Syncthing there too and share the folder with it, so the PC doesn't need to be on.
• Sleep and hibernate: when the PC sleeps or hibernates, Syncthing is suspended too, so nothing syncs. Nothing is lost: changes made on the phone in the meantime are picked up once the PC wakes up and reconnects, and the other way around. Changes only travel while both devices are awake and online. To sync while the PC is asleep, keep it awake (Windows power settings, "Sleep" set to "Never") or use an always-on device as described above.
• Don't edit on two devices at once: let the sync finish before continuing on another device. On conflicts, Syncthing creates files with .sync-conflict in the name, which you can merge by hand.
• Backups: Syncthing is not a backup. A file deleted on one device disappears on the other devices too (except through file versioning), so still make a copy now and then.

iPhone / iPad

Syncthing doesn't officially exist for iOS. Möbius Sync is a paid app that uses the protocol, but it can't sync continuously in the background. On an iPhone, iCloud or Obsidian Sync is more reliable.

Obsidian

Syncs a vault between your PC and the Obsidian mobile app. Follow the general setup and apply the points below.

Share the vault

• In step 4, pick your vault folder as the Folder Path and give it the name of your vault (e.g. "BrainII").

• Add these lines under Ignore Patterns (highly recommended), so your devices don't overwrite each other's window layout:

  .obsidian/workspace*
  .trash

• In step 5, pick a location in internal storage, e.g. Documents/Obsidian/BrainII.

Open the vault in Obsidian mobile

1. Open Obsidian on the phone.
2. Choose Open folder as vault.
3. Select the folder Syncthing just created.

Plugins

Not every plugin works on mobile. Consider ignoring .obsidian/plugins if plugins cause problems.

MusicBee

Workflow to sync a MusicBee library (songs, playlists) between your PC and an Android device with the PowerAmp app.

Share the library

• In step 4, pick your vault folder as the Folder Path and give it the name of your vault (e.g. "MusicLibary").

• Add these lines under Ignore Patterns (highly recommended), so your devices don't overwrite each other's window layout:

  .obsidian/workspace*
  .trash

• In step 5, pick a location in internal storage, e.g. Music/.

Open the library in PowerAmp

1. Open PowerAmp on the phone.
2. Choose Open folder as vault.
3. Select the folder Syncthing just created.