Summary

The website provides a tutorial on how to sync Obsidian notes for free between a Mac and an iPhone using iCloud Drive as an alternative to the paid Obsidian Sync service.

Abstract

The article outlines a method for users to synchronize their Obsidian notes across Apple devices without incurring the monthly cost of Obsidian's Sync service. It details the steps required to set up iCloud Drive to handle the synchronization process, ensuring that notes are kept up-to-date between a Mac and an iPhone. The prerequisites include having iCloud and iCloud Drive enabled on both devices. The tutorial guides users through downloading the Obsidian app on their iPhone, creating a new vault in iCloud, and verifying the sync functionality by creating and editing test notes. It emphasizes the ease of this method while noting that for those who require end-to-end encryption, the paid Obsidian Sync service is recommended.

Opinions

The author suggests that using iCloud Drive for syncing Obsidian notes is a viable and cost-effective alternative to the paid service offered by Obsidian.
There is an acknowledgment that the free method may not provide the same level of security as the paid Obsidian Sync service, particularly for users who need end-to-end encryption.
The author implies that the syncing process, while not instantaneous, is sufficiently prompt, with notes being "almost always up-to-date."
The article implies a positive view of iCloud's security, suggesting that users can benefit from the security features inherent to iCloud when using it to sync Obsidian notes.
The tutorial is presented as user-friendly and straightforward, likely to be helpful for users who are new to using Obsidian across multiple devices.

Syncing Obsidian Notes For Free Between Mac and iPhone Using iCloud Drive

Alternative to the Paid Obsidian Sync Service

Obsidian Sync Between Mac and iPhone For Free

Obsidian offers a Sync service that costs $10 / month, but I wanted to find a free way to keep my iPhone and Mac in sync. This tutorial covers how to easily sync your vault across your Apple devices using iCloud Drive. If you’re looking for end-to-end encryption, I recommend purchasing the Obsidian Sync service instead.

Prerequisites:

You must have iCloud and iCloud Drive enabled on your Mac and iPhone

Steps

Download the Obsidian app on your iPhone from the App Store (link to download).
Download the Obsidian desktop application on your Mac from the website.
Open the app on your phone and click “Create a new vault”.
Enter a name for the vault and make sure you enable “Store in iCloud”.

5. Click “Create new file” and create a test note (enter anything for the title and body of the note).

6. Go to your iPhone Settings app.

7. Click on your name at the top of the app to view your Apple ID.

8. Select iCloud.

9. Select iCloud Backup and click “Back Up Now” to backup your phone including the new Obsidian vault.

10. Now go to your Mac and open Finder (file explorer).

11. Go to your iCloud Drive folder.

12. You should see an “Obsidian” folder. If you open the folder, you should see another folder with the name of the vault you created on your phone.

13. Open the Obsidian application on your computer and click “Open Vault”, either on the welcome screen or File → Open Vault.

14. Go to the iCloud Drive → Obsidian → notes (or your vault name). Click open.

Testing the Sync

You should now see the test note on your computer that you created on your phone in step 5. Try editing the file on your computer and see it update on your phone in (almost) real-time. There is some lag, but the notes should be almost always up-to-date. Test editing the note on your phone and watch it change on your computer to make sure it’s syncing that way as well.

All done!

You now have Obsidian notes setup syncing for free from your iPhone to your Mac and vice versa stored in iCloud with all of the security it comes with.

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