Obsidian, including Obsidian Sync, reads directly from the local filesystem as part of its local-first approach. This means the [data is fully yours](https://obsidian.md/about), giving you complete control. However, problems can arise when using third-party syncing services like iCloud or OneDrive. If a file is removed from your local filesystem by these services (e.g., it is moved back to the cloud), Obsidian Sync will see this as a deletion and remove it from the remote vault. This is why we [[Sync limitations#Can I use a third-party sync with Obsidian Sync?|strongly recommend]] avoiding the use of Obsidian Sync with another syncing service. However, third-party syncing services can play a role in your [[Back up your Obsidian files|backup]] strategy. ## Moving your vault out of a third-party syncing service If your vault is stored in any of the following locations, it's likely being synced by a third-party service: - **Windows**: `C:\Users\Username\Desktop` or `C:\Users\Username\Documents` - **macOS**: `/users/username/Desktop` or `/users/username/Documents` - **iOS**: The **iCloud** folder within the Files app - **Other**: Any folder under a syncing service, such as `Drive/my-vault`, `Dropbox/my-vault`, `pSync/my-vault`, etc. While Android and Linux tend to have fewer issues with this, it's still worth checking your vault location on these devices. > [!tip] If your current local vault is connected to a remote vault, Obsidian will try to detect if the vault is in a syncing service. If it is, you will see a message at the top of Obsidian Sync's settings. To avoid conflicts with syncing services, we recommend storing your Obsidian vaults in the following locations: - **Windows**: Recommended locations in order: 1. `D:\` or any other non-C, non-network drive on your device 2. `C:\Vaults` (if you have permissions to use the C:\ drive) 3. `C:\Users\Username\Vaults` (if you must keep your vault within C:\Users\Username, make sure OneDrive is set not to remove files. OneDrive is generally less aggressive outside of `Desktop` and `Documents` folders.) - **macOS**: `/users/username/vaults` - **Linux**: No specific recommendation due to the variety of filesystems. Just ensure that Obsidian has full read/write access and that no syncing service manages the folder. - **iOS/iPadOS**: Store the vault **On My iPhone** or **On the Device**. - **Android**: Use the `Documents/` folder on your device. ### Moving your vault on desktop To move your vault to a different folder on desktop, see the instructions below. ![[Manage vaults#Move vault to a different folder]] ### Moving your vault on mobile On mobile devices, Obsidian operates in a sandboxed environment, meaning you cannot move vaults within the app like you can on desktop. #### Android Android filesystems vary greatly by device, but generally, follow the same steps as you would to move your vault manually, ensuring it is removed from any syncing service on your device. #### iOS/iPadOS To move an existing iCloud vault to your device, follow these steps: > [!note] If you already have the data on another device and have set up Obsidian Sync, it's recommended to [[Set up Obsidian Sync#Sync a remote vault on another device|set up a new local vault from Sync]] instead. - [[Back up your Obsidian files|Back up]] your vault. - Create a new vault on your device, ensuring **Save in iCloud Drive** is disabled. - Force quit the Obsidian app on all devices to pause Sync. - Open the **Files** app on your iOS/iPadOS device. - Long-press the vault folder under **iCloud Drive → Obsidian**, then select **Move**. - Move the vault to **On My iPhone/Device → Obsidian** and confirm that it's now visible. - Tap **Copy**. - Return to **iCloud Drive → Obsidian** and delete the old vault folder. Once you reopen Obsidian, the vault should show a vault icon instead of a cloud icon, confirming it is no longer in iCloud Drive. Obsidian Sync will also no longer display the warning message within its settings. ## Next steps - Looking to get started with Obsidian Sync? [[Set up Obsidian Sync]] - Still need assistance? Check out [[Troubleshoot Obsidian Sync]]