# Obsidian Sync for FREE with GitHub (Mobile + Desktop) - Easy Tutorial

Sync an Obsidian vault between desktop and mobile using a private GitHub repository and the Obsidian Git plugin.

Author: Vladislav Guzey
Published: 2025-02-19
Canonical: https://proflead.dev/posts/sync-obsidian-notes-for-free-mobile-and-desktop/


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[Obsidian](/posts/how-to-use-obsidian-notes-for-beginners/) is one of the best note-taking apps available today. It provides a powerful, Markdown-based experience with local-first storage. However, there is one problem: the official sync feature costs around $8 per month. What if I told you there’s a way to sync your notes across multiple devices completely free? In this guide, I will walk you through a method using GitHub and Git that allows you to keep your notes in sync without spending a dime.



# What Would Need

It could feel that you need to do a lot of things, but don’t worry in an ideal scenario, you would need about 10–15 minutes and these things:

- GitHub Account & Repository
- GitHub Access Token
- SSH key (optional)
- Git
- Obsidian
- Git Plugin for Obsidian
- iSH app for iPhone
- Obsidian App for iPhone

## Step 1: Create a GitHub Account and Repository

**GitHub** hosts Git repositories. We’ll use a private repository to store and sync Obsidian notes.

![](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:700/0*0A8BkCmVOjTXfr9z.png)

A **Git repository** (or repo) is a storage space where Git tracks all the changes to a set of files. It records modifications, allowing you to revert to previous versions, collaborate with others, and synchronize your files across different devices. In the context of Obsidian, a Git repository helps store and sync your notes while keeping track of all edits.

Once you know the basic commands below, the [advanced Git guide](/posts/git-for-advance-users/) covers tools for inspecting history and recovering work.

1. Go to [GitHub.com](https://github.com/) and sign up.
2. Once logged in, click on the **New** button to create a new repository.
3. Give it a name (e.g., “Obsidian-Notes”).
4. Make sure to set the repository to **Private** so your notes are not publicly accessible.
5. Click **Create Repository**.

![Git repository](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:700/0*k5QCFLixKc_Q0qcy.png)



## Step 2: Install Git on Your Computer

If you don’t have Git installed, follow these steps:

- **Windows**: Download and install Git from [git-scm.com.](https://git-scm.com/)
- **Mac**: Install Git using Homebrew with `brew install git`.
- **Linux**: Use `sudo apt-get install git` (for Debian-based systems) or sudo dnf install git (for Fedora-based systems).

Once installed, open your terminal (Command Prompt, PowerShell, or macOS Terminal) and verify installation by running:

```
git --version
```

## Basic Git Commands

Here are three essential Git commands that you’ll use frequently:

```
git status
```

This command shows the current state of your repository. It tells you which files have been modified, added, or staged for commit.git status

```
git pull
```

This command fetches the latest changes from the remote repository (GitHub) and updates your local repository.

```
git push
```

After making changes, you need to upload them to GitHub using git push. This command sends your committed changes from your local repository to the remote repository.

# Step 3: Clone the GitHub Repository

Now, let’s connect your local Obsidian vault to GitHub:

- Open your terminal and navigate to the folder where you want to store your notes.
- Run the following command, replacing YOUR-REPO-URL with your GitHub repository URL:

```
git clone YOUR-REPO-URL
```

- This will create a local folder linked to your GitHub repository.

![Clone the GitHub Repository](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:700/0*rziDUMO8Pzk6Oi77.png)



Move your Obsidian notes into this folder so they are ready for syncing.

## Step 3. How to Get a GitHub Classic Token

GitHub has deprecated password-based authentication for Git operations. Instead, it requires you to use a **Personal Access Token (PAT)**, which provides a more secure way to authenticate.

![](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:700/0*AyeCBiCMgRvySaUC.png)

How to Get a GitHub Classic Token

**Go to GitHub Developer Settings:**

- Open [GitHub Token Settings](https://github.com/settings/tokens).
- Click **Generate new token** → Select **Classic**.

**Set Expiration & Permissions:**

- Choose an expiration date or set it to **No Expiration** (not recommended for security).

Select the necessary scopes:

- repo → For accessing private repositories.

**Generate and Copy the Token:**

- Click **Generate token** and **copy it immediately**.
- GitHub won’t show it again after you leave the page.

**Use the Token in Git Authentication:**

- When prompted for a **password** in Git operations, paste the token instead.

## Step 4: Set Up SSH for Authentication (optional)

To avoid entering your password every time you sync, you can set up SSH authentication:

- Generate an SSH key by running:

```
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your-email@example.com"
```

- Copy the SSH key using:

```
cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub
```

- Go to GitHub, navigate to **Settings > SSH and GPG keys**, and add the copied key.

![Set Up SSH for Authentication (Optional)](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:700/0*_pFW93ODLKh6KNxO.png)



Now, your system will authenticate with GitHub automatically.

## Step 5: Set Up Git Plugin in Obsidian

I assume you already have the Obsidian App, which is why I won’t cover the installation process for it here. I will only show you quick steps to install the Git plugin.

Obsidian has a plugin that makes Git syncing easier:

6. Open Obsidian and go to **Settings > Community Plugins**.
7. Search for “Git” and install it.
8. Enable **Auto Commit and Sync** (set an interval, e.g., 5 minutes).
9. Enable **Pull on Startup** to prevent conflicts.

![Set Up Git Plugin in Obsidian](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:700/0*869RAQkH7fIjP5Y5.png)



Now, whenever you edit notes, Obsidian will sync them automatically with GitHub.

## Step 6: Syncing Notes on Mobile (iOS, iPhone, iPad)

Syncing on mobile is slightly more complicated but still doable.

- Install **Obsidian** from the App Store.
- Install **iSH**, a terminal app that allows running Linux commands.

![](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:564/0*LCQ636D2fYnVwax2.png)

- iSH App
- Open iSH and install Git using:

```
apk add git
```

- Create a folder for your obsidian notes :

```
mkdir obsidian
```

- Run mount command to mount the obsidian vault folder

```
mount -t ios . obsidian
```

- A file picker will show up. Choose the folder with your local vault.
- Then use the following commands:

```
cd obsidian  
rm -rf .  
git clone YOUR-REPO-URL .
```

Once this step is done, you will see your notes in the Obsidian application.

![](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:564/0*QF2250JfX80m4Kzo.png)

Obsidian iOS

## Step 7: Install Obsidian Git Plugin on iPhone

The last step is to configure the Obsidian Git community plugin.

- Open Obsidian.
- Go to Settings > Community Plugins.
- Tap Browse and search for Obsidian Git.
- Tap Install, then Enable the plugin.
- Set up an auto-commit interval (e.g., every 5 minutes).
- Enable Pull on Startup to sync changes when opening Obsidian.

![Git Plugin](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:564/0*hbrOXQX8Z2b3ocjl.png)



## Video Tutorial

If you are struggling with the steps, I recommend you to watch my detailed video tutorial.


_Watch on YouTube:_ [_Obsidian Sync Tutorial_](https://youtu.be/PScdHzUiBLA?si=irQnCWpxIgJQN4-k)


## Conclusion

Once the setup is complete, check that a note edited on one device appears on the other. Share any questions in the comments.

Cheers! ;)