I use Notion as my daily note-taking app. However, since all data in Notion is stored entirely in the cloud, I’ve noticed that the app can be slow to load and update notes. I’ve also observed a lag in syncing updates between my laptop and phone.
As a result, I began searching for alternatives and found two options: Anytype and Obsidian. Anytype has a limit of 1GB of cloud storage. Additionally, I wanted an option that allows me to keep my notes in Markdown format, so I decided to use Obsidian.
Obsidian is a great tool, but I missed the sync feature that Notion and Anytype offer. When I checked Obsidian’s website, I found that it charges $4 per month for sync, which adds up to around 4,000 Rupees per year—too expensive for a sync feature, in my opinion.
Suddenly, the developer within me awoke, and I decided to build a setup for myself (time is less costly than money for me 🤪). But then I wondered if another developer might have already thought of this.
And yes, I was right!
I found a solution called Syncthing. Syncthing is a continuous file synchronization program. It’s encrypted, open-source, and uses an open protocol. It works with macOS, Windows, Linux, and Android.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to setting up folder sync between your Mac and Android phone using Syncthing:
Step 1: Install Syncthing on Your Mac
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Download Syncthing:
- Visit the Syncthing official website.
- Download the macOS version of Syncthing.
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Install Syncthing:
- Open the downloaded
.dmgfile. - Drag Syncthing to the Applications folder.
- Open the downloaded
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Run Syncthing:
- Open Syncthing from the Applications folder.
- The first time you run it, your web browser will open to the Syncthing web interface.
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Allow Syncthing through Firewall:
- If prompted, allow Syncthing to accept incoming network connections in the firewall settings.
Step 2: Install Syncthing on Your Android Phone
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Download Syncthing:
- Open the Google Play Store on your Android phone.
- Search for “Syncthing” and install it.
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Run Syncthing:
- Open the Syncthing app on your Android phone.
- Allow the necessary permissions for storage and network access.
Step 3: Connect Your Mac and Android Phone
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Find Your Device ID on Mac:
- In the Syncthing web interface on your Mac, go to the “Actions” menu (three dots in the top right) and select “Show ID.”
- Copy the Device ID.
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Add Your Mac’s Device ID to Android:
- On your Android phone, open Syncthing.
- Tap the “Add Device” button (usually a “+” icon).
- Paste your Mac’s Device ID and give it a name (e.g., “My Mac”).
- Save the settings.
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Add Your Android’s Device ID to Mac:
- On your Android device, tap “Show Device ID” in Syncthing and copy it.
- In the Syncthing web interface on your Mac, a dialog should appear asking if you want to add a new device (your Android device).
- Paste the Android device ID if necessary and give it a name (e.g., “My Phone”).
- Click “Save.”
Step 4: Set Up Folder Sync
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Add a Folder on Your Mac:
- In the Syncthing web interface on your Mac, click the “Add Folder” button.
- Select the folder you want to sync.
- Assign a label (e.g., “Sync Folder”).
- Share the folder with your Android device by selecting its name under the “Sharing” section.
- Click “Save.”
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Add a Folder on Your Android Phone:
- On your Android device, tap the folder icon with a “+” in Syncthing.
- Choose “Receive Folder” if you want to receive the folder from your Mac, or “Send & Receive” for bidirectional sync.
- Select a location on your phone where you want to store the synced folder.
- Confirm by tapping “Add.”
Step 5: Start Syncing
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Initiate Sync:
- Both devices should now be connected, and the folder will start syncing automatically.
- You can monitor the sync progress in the Syncthing interfaces on both devices.
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Check the Sync:
- Modify a file in the folder on your Mac, and you should see the changes reflected on your Android phone within seconds.
Step 6: Customize Sync Settings (Optional)
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Folder Settings:
- You can adjust the sync settings such as file versioning, rescan intervals, and file ignore patterns through the folder settings in the Syncthing interface.
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Connection Settings:
- You can also configure connection settings like enabling or disabling relay and global discovery if you’re on the same local network.
That’s it! You’ve successfully set up Syncthing to sync a folder between your Mac and Android phone.
Top comments (11)
I just have my notebook on nextcloud lol.
Not technically free, because I'm hosting that myself and that costs money, but I'm not paying for obsidian specifically, and I even get sharing and a markdown editor in the browser out of the box.
That sounds like a solid setup! It gives you full control.
I have my vault in Google Drive. Works okay unless google drive (windows app) crashes then I can't see my g:\ drive and the vault
Syncthing could be a great alternative for syncing your vault. Since it doesn’t depend on an external app like Drive, there’s no risk of losing access due to app crashes. Plus, it provides real-time syncing and version control, so your vault stays updated and accessible across your devices.
I initially did the same thing, but there's not really any Google Drive applications (that work properly) on Linux. It works very well for Windows though!
It's a bit more manual, but I just use Github. I rarely need notes on a different device, so it's more efficient for me to just commit, push, and pull about 10 MB of notes every month or so. I like your solution though -- if I ever need to sync my notes more often, I'll definitely try this.
This Github solution is too good. In fact, I also used to use this method for a long time.
Anything similar to Syncthing for linux?
Hey Shanu, Good news is that Syncthing works with Windows, Linux, Mac & Android. Go to it's downloads page, you will find all the options.
Great, Also great post !!
The obsidian git plugin does the job very well.