Obsidian Does Not Sync Directly to Google Drive
Obsidian, the note-taking process, does not have a built-in feature that syncs your vault directly to Google Drive. Obsidian stores notes in a folder on your computer or device, and Google Drive does not recognize Obsidian's vault structure the way it recognizes ordinary files. If you try to place your Obsidian vault inside a Google Drive folder and use both at the same time, you risk corrupting your notes because the two applications will conflict over which version is the current one.
You have three realistic paths forward: use Obsidian Sync (a paid service run by Obsidian's makers), store your vault in a cloud folder that Obsidian understands, or manually export notes to Google Drive when you need them there. Each has different costs, different limits on which devices can access your notes, and different amounts of setup work.
Key Takeaways
- Obsidian's vault cannot sit inside a Google Drive folder without risking data corruption, because both applications try to control the same files at once.
- Obsidian Sync is the official solution, costs $10 per month, and works on any device where you install Obsidian.
- You can store your vault in Dropbox, OneDrive, or iCloud instead of Google Drive, and Obsidian will sync changes across your devices automatically.
- If you only need Google Drive for backup or occasional sharing, you can export individual notes or your whole vault as a folder and upload it manually.
- Some people use a third-party tool like Syncthing or Git to sync their vault, but these require technical setup and are not supported by Obsidian.
Why Google Drive and Obsidian Conflict
Google Drive's desktop app (Google Drive for desktop) syncs files by watching a folder on your computer and uploading changes to Google's servers. Obsidian also watches its vault folder and makes changes to the files inside it. When both applications are running and both are watching the same folder, they create a race condition: each one sees changes the other made and tries to reconcile them, often by creating duplicate files or marking notes as conflicted.
Obsidian's vault is not a collection of independent files — it is a folder with a hidden settings directory, a database of links between notes, and metadata that Obsidian needs to function. If Google Drive uploads a partially written file before Obsidian finishes saving it, or if Obsidian tries to read a file while Google Drive is uploading a new version, the vault can become unreadable. You may lose recent edits or find that Obsidian will not open the vault at all.
Obsidian Sync: The Official Option
Obsidian Sync is a subscription service run by Obsidian's makers. It costs $10 per month (or $96 per year if paid annually) and syncs your vault across all your devices — phone, tablet, laptop, desktop — without using Google Drive or any other cloud storage. When you make a note on your phone, it appears on your laptop within seconds. Obsidian Sync handles the conflict resolution itself, so you do not have to worry about two applications fighting over the same files.
To use Obsidian Sync, you create an account on Obsidian's website, enable Sync in Obsidian's settings, and choose which devices to sync. Obsidian Sync stores your notes on Obsidian's servers, not on Google Drive. If you also want a backup on Google Drive, you can export your vault manually or use a separate tool to copy the files there, but that is a separate step.
Obsidian Sync does not work offline — if you have no internet connection, you can still edit notes, but they will not sync to your other devices until you reconnect. It also does not work on the web; you must use the Obsidian app on each device.
Storing Your Vault in Dropbox, OneDrive, or iCloud Instead
If you do not want to pay for Obsidian Sync, you can store your vault in Dropbox, OneDrive, or iCloud instead of Google Drive. These services work with Obsidian because they sync files in a way that does not conflict with Obsidian's own file-watching. Obsidian's documentation explicitly lists these three as compatible.
The setup is straightforward: create a folder in Dropbox (or OneDrive or iCloud), move your Obsidian vault into it, and then open that vault in Obsidian on each device. Obsidian will sync changes across devices automatically. This method is free if you already use one of these services and have space available. Dropbox's free tier gives you 2 GB; OneDrive's free tier gives you 5 GB; iCloud's free tier gives you 5 GB.
The trade-off is that you are locked into one cloud provider. If you later want to switch to Google Drive, you will have to move your vault out of Dropbox (or OneDrive or iCloud) and set up a different sync method. You also cannot sync to Google Drive and Dropbox at the same time — you must choose one.
Manual Export to Google Drive
If you use Obsidian Sync or store your vault in Dropbox, but you also want a copy on Google Drive for backup or to share with others, you can export your notes manually. Obsidian lets you export individual notes as Markdown files or export your entire vault as a folder.
To export a single note, open it in Obsidian, click the three-dot menu, and select "Export as PDF" or copy the text and paste it into a Google Doc. To export your whole vault, you can zip the vault folder and upload the zip file to Google Drive, or you can use a file manager to copy the vault folder to a Google Drive folder on your computer and then upload it through Google Drive's web interface.
This method works if you do not need real-time sync — for example, if you export your vault to Google Drive once a week as a backup, or if you export a finished project to share with a colleague. It does not work if you want to edit notes in both Obsidian and Google Drive and have the changes appear in both places.
Third-Party Sync Tools: Syncthing and Git
Some people use Syncthing or Git to sync their Obsidian vault across devices. Syncthing is a free, open-source file-syncing tool that works like Dropbox but runs on your own computers instead of a company's servers. Git is a version-control system that developers use; you can push your vault to a Git repository (like GitHub) and pull it on another device.
Both of these methods require technical knowledge — you need to understand how to install and configure the software, and you need to know how to troubleshoot if something goes wrong. Obsidian does not officially support either method, which means if your vault breaks, Obsidian's support team cannot help you. These options are for people who are comfortable with the command line and do not mind maintaining their own sync setup.
Comparing Your Options
| Method | Cost | Devices Supported | Offline Editing | Setup Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Obsidian Sync | $10/month or $96/year | Phone, tablet, laptop, desktop | Yes; syncs when online | straightforward |
| Dropbox, OneDrive, or iCloud | Free (with storage limits) or paid plans | Phone, tablet, laptop, desktop | Yes; syncs when online | straightforward |
| Manual export to Google Drive | Free | Wherever you export to | No sync; manual only | straightforward |
| Syncthing or Git | Free | Depends on setup | Yes; syncs when online | Hard; requires technical knowledge |
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I put my Obsidian vault in a Google Drive folder anyway?
Your notes may become corrupted or unreadable. Google Drive and Obsidian will both try to control the same files, creating conflicting versions and duplicate files. You may lose recent edits or find that Obsidian refuses to open the vault. This is not a supported configuration and Obsidian's support team cannot help you recover from it.
Can I use Google Drive on my phone and Obsidian on my laptop?
Not reliably. If you edit a note in Google Drive on your phone and then open Obsidian on your laptop, Obsidian will not see the changes because Google Drive stores files in a different format and location than Obsidian expects. You would have to manually copy the file back to your Obsidian vault.
Is Obsidian Sync encrypted?
Yes. Obsidian Sync encrypts your notes end-to-end, which means Obsidian's servers cannot read them. Only your devices can decrypt them. This is different from Google Drive, where Google can read your files.
Can I use Obsidian Sync and also keep a backup on Google Drive?
Yes. You can use Obsidian Sync to sync across your devices, and then separately export your vault to Google Drive as a backup. This requires a manual step — you are not syncing to Google Drive in real time, but you can upload a copy whenever you want.
What if I only have a Google account and no other cloud storage?
Your best option is to pay for Obsidian Sync ($10 per month). If you do not want to pay, you can create a free Dropbox account (2 GB free) or a free OneDrive account (5 GB free) and store your vault there instead. Both are free and work with Obsidian.