Dropbox Sync
pendingby zeakd
Sync your vault with Dropbox. A seamless experience, on every device.
한국어 버전: README_ko.md
Dropbox Sync for Obsidian
Sync your Obsidian vault with Dropbox — across desktop and mobile, automatically.
What it does
- Keeps your vault in sync across all your devices via Dropbox
- Detects changes instantly — edits, deletions, and renames sync within seconds
- Handles conflicts safely — when the same file is edited on two devices, you choose what to keep
- Protects against accidental deletion — three safety layers prevent data loss
- Opens unsynced files on demand — click a link, and the plugin downloads from Dropbox before opening
Getting started
1. Install the plugin
Open Obsidian, go to Settings > Community plugins, search for "Dropbox Sync", and click Install, then Enable.
Manual install (advanced)
Download main.js, manifest.json, and styles.css from the latest release. Place them in your vault's .obsidian/plugins/dropbox-sync/ folder and restart Obsidian.
2. Connect to Dropbox
Open Settings > Dropbox Sync and click Connect to Dropbox.
- Desktop: your browser opens automatically. Authorize and you're done.
- Mobile: tap "Open Dropbox", authorize, copy the code, and paste it back.
3. Set your Vault ID
Choose a name for your Dropbox folder (e.g., my-notes). This is where your vault files will be stored on Dropbox.
4. Turn on sync
Toggle Enable sync on. Your vault will sync immediately.
From now on, any file you edit, create, or delete will automatically sync to Dropbox. Changes from other devices are picked up in real time.
Daily use
Syncing
| Action | What happens |
|---|---|
| Edit a file | Syncs to Dropbox after 5 seconds |
| Delete or rename a file | Syncs to Dropbox after 5 seconds |
| Click the sync icon (left sidebar) | Syncs immediately |
| Someone edits on another device | Changes appear here within seconds |
The status bar at the bottom shows the current state: syncing, synced, or error.
When there's a conflict
If the same file was edited on two devices before syncing, the plugin needs to decide which version to keep. You can choose your preferred strategy in Settings:
| Strategy | What happens |
|---|---|
| Keep both (default) | Both versions are saved. The other device's version gets a .conflict suffix. |
| Keep newest | The more recently edited version wins automatically. |
| Ask me | A side-by-side comparison opens so you can pick what to keep. |
Read more: How conflict resolution works
Opening files via link
Use a URL to open a file directly — if it hasn't synced yet, the plugin downloads it first.
Read more: Deep link: sync & open
Excluding files from sync
Don't want to sync PDFs, images, or certain folders? Go to Settings > Exclude patterns and add patterns like:
*.pdf
attachments/
.obsidian/workspace*
The settings panel shows how many files are currently excluded.
Settings reference
| Setting | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Vault ID | — | Your Dropbox folder name. Required to start syncing. |
| Enable sync | Off | Turns automatic syncing on or off. |
| Conflict strategy | Keep both | How to handle files edited on multiple devices. Details |
| Exclude patterns | .obsidian/workspace* | Files matching these patterns won't sync. |
| Sync on file create | Off | Also sync when new files are created (edits and deletions always sync). |
| Sync interval | 60 seconds | How often to check for changes as a fallback. Usually not needed — changes are detected in real time. |
| Delete protection | On | Ask for confirmation before deleting many files at once. Details |
| Delete threshold | 5 | How many deletions trigger the confirmation. |
| Custom App Key | Off | Use your own Dropbox app instead of the built-in one. Setup guide |
Safety
Your data is protected by three independent layers. Even if one fails, the others catch it.
| Layer | Protection |
|---|---|
| Delete tracking | Only files you delete are removed from Dropbox. The plugin detects deletions reliably across desktop and mobile. |
| Bulk delete guard | If a sync would delete more than 5 files, you see a confirmation first. |
| Dropbox trash | Deleted files stay in Dropbox's trash for 30–180 days and can be restored anytime. |
Read more: How sync safety works
Need help?
See the Troubleshooting guide for common issues, or check the logs:
- Command palette > "Dropbox Sync: View sync logs"
- Settings > Dropbox Sync > Troubleshooting > View Logs
For developers
bun install
bun run build # Production build
bun run dev # Watch mode
bun run typecheck # TypeScript check
bun test # Run tests
Internal docs: moved to Obsidian vault (inbox/dropbox-sync/)
License
For plugin developers
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