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Use Trilium’s own synchronization protocol, not a file-sync folder. The supported setup is a Trilium sync server that desktop clients connect to; Trilium also documents direct desktop-to-desktop synchronization when the computers can reach each other on a local network. Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Syncthing, and shared folders are not substitutes for that protocol because they can copy a database while Trilium is writing to it and corrupt the database.
For the safest setup, back up your existing database first, use HTTPS with a valid certificate, keep client and server clocks within five minutes, and let each client finish synchronizing before making important edits elsewhere. Trilium does not merge simultaneous edits to the same note. In practical terms, the newer change remains in the note and the older version is available through note revisions.
What Trilium synchronization is—and what it is not
Trilium is local-first on desktop: each desktop installation keeps its own database. Synchronization copies Trilium data between those installations through Trilium’s sync protocol. In the conventional arrangement, an uninitialized Trilium server acts as the meeting point for multiple desktop clients. The user guide also documents a direct desktop-to-desktop route for computers that can communicate over a LAN.
That is different from placing Trilium’s live data directory inside a general-purpose file-sync service. A file-sync program sees database files changing and may upload or download individual files while Trilium still has them open. Trilium’s FAQ answers the question about using Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive to synchronize computers with “No” and identifies the sync/web server as the supported network method.
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A backup is another separate concept. An external drive, cloud-storage bucket, or second computer can hold a backup copy, but it must not be used as the live database location for multi-device synchronization.
Supported arrangements at a glance
| Arrangement | Best for | What it requires | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trilium sync server | Persistent synchronization among several desktops | An uninitialized Trilium server, network access, client accounts, HTTPS, and aligned clocks | You must operate or host the server and maintain backups |
| Desktop-to-desktop over LAN | Occasional synchronization between reachable computers without a separate server | Both desktops on a network that permits direct access; LAN access enabled in current Trilium versions | It is not a cloud path and does not help when the computers cannot reach each other |
| Export or backup copy | Archiving, disaster recovery, or moving a copy manually | Backup storage and a documented restore process | It does not keep two live Trilium databases synchronized |
Choose the topology before you touch your data
Use a sync server for regular multi-device work
A server is the practical choice when you use Trilium on more than one desktop, need synchronization when the computers are in different places, or want clients to reconnect to one stable endpoint. Each desktop talks to the server rather than trying to coordinate a shared database folder.
The server should start uninitialized for the first client connection. After the initial client uploads its data, additional clients can join the same synchronized setup. Treat the server as part of your data-recovery plan: it is a synchronization endpoint, not a replacement for independent backups.
Use desktop-to-desktop only for a reachable LAN
The documented alternative avoids installing a separate server. It is appropriate when both desktop computers can reach one another directly on the same local network and you are comfortable starting synchronization only when that network path exists. Since Trilium v0.104.0, LAN access must be enabled for this route. Do not describe it as internet or cloud synchronization; a laptop and a home desktop cannot use it while separated from the LAN unless you provide a secure network path yourself.
Use export or backup when synchronization is not the goal
If you only need a periodic archive, a hand-off to another person, or a safety copy before a major change, create a Trilium backup or export. Restoring that copy later is a recovery operation, not continuous synchronization, and it should not be confused with putting the live database in a file-sync folder.
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Prepare your data and network
Complete these checks before connecting a second client. They prevent the most difficult class of errors—starting with an incomplete or untrusted copy and then trying to diagnose the result after edits have diverged.
- Make a backup first. In Trilium, open Settings → Backup, create or download a backup, and confirm where the resulting file is stored. Keep a copy outside the machine that contains the live database.
- Decide which installation is authoritative for the first upload. The first desktop you connect to a new server pushes its existing data. Remove test notes and finish any cleanup before that transfer.
- Provision an uninitialized server for the server topology. Follow the current Trilium setup documentation for the server platform you are using; do not seed it by copying a desktop database directory.
- Provide a stable address and account credentials. Every client must be able to resolve and reach the sync endpoint.
- Use HTTPS with a valid, signed certificate. A certificate that clients can verify is part of a safe deployment, not an optional cosmetic setting.
- Check time on every member. Trilium requires client and server clocks to match within five minutes for synchronization to succeed.
- Plan independent backup storage. The sync server and clients are all part of the working system; none is an archival copy by itself.
Set up a Trilium sync server
- Deploy the server without importing a database. Install and start the Trilium server according to the current server instructions, leaving it uninitialized for the first client.
- Protect the endpoint before pairing. Put the server behind HTTPS using a certificate signed by a trusted authority. Verify that the address you will enter in Trilium is the HTTPS address, not an unencrypted HTTP shortcut.
- Open the existing desktop client. On the desktop that contains the data you want to place on the new server, go to Options → Sync → Sync server.
- Enter the server address and credentials. Use the account created for that server and the exact HTTPS endpoint. Avoid proceeding if the certificate warning indicates that the identity of the server cannot be verified.
- Run “Test sync”. The guide specifically calls for this test. Resolve connection, certificate, authentication, or clock errors before starting the initial transfer.
- Start the initial synchronization. After a successful test, the client begins pushing its data to the server. Large databases can take time; leave Trilium running and the network available until the transfer completes.
- Verify the server-side result. Check the server to confirm that the initial transfer has finished before adding another client. A second client should not be paired with a server that is still receiving its first database.
The initial upload establishes the synchronized dataset. It is not a merge of two pre-existing databases, so decide which desktop contains the intended starting state before you press the test and synchronization controls.
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Add another desktop client
- Install Trilium on the new desktop and open it without placing another machine’s database directory into its data path.
- Choose the sync-server setup option during the client’s setup flow.
- Enter the same server address and account credentials used for the synchronized setup. Confirm that the address uses HTTPS and that the certificate validates on this machine.
- Allow the first synchronization to finish. The official guide says the client redirects into Trilium after synchronization completes. Do not begin substantial editing until that hand-off has occurred.
- Check representative notes and attachments. Open several important notes, search for a distinctive title, and verify that the expected hierarchy is present before treating the new client as ready.
Repeat this process for each additional desktop. Every member should join through the sync workflow; copying one client’s live data folder to another computer bypasses the protocol and can create an invalid or divergent database.
Use desktop-to-desktop synchronization on a LAN
When you do not want a separate server, use Trilium’s documented desktop-to-desktop option only while the two computers can reach each other directly. On Trilium v0.104.0 and later, enable LAN access before attempting this route. Network isolation, a firewall rule, or a guest Wi-Fi network can make two machines appear to be on the same Wi-Fi while still preventing the connection.
Start with both desktops backed up. Select the desktop-to-desktop synchronization option in Trilium’s setup or synchronization screen, identify the peer according to the current UI, and keep both applications open until the transfer reports completion. This method is useful for an occasional exchange at home or in an office; it is not a replacement for a persistent server when the machines are often apart.
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Access Trilium from a phone
Official Trilium material positions mobile access through a browser/PWA and includes a mobile frontend section in the setup documentation. The available material does not establish a current native-app compatibility matrix or an offline guarantee, so treat the phone as a browser client to the synchronized Trilium service rather than assuming a separate native database.
For a phone workflow, make the synchronized server reachable over a properly secured HTTPS address, open the current mobile frontend instructions, and sign in with the account used by your Trilium service. Test reading and editing a non-critical note first. If the phone loses its connection, wait for it to reconnect and synchronize before assuming an edit was saved on every device.
Secure the connection and keep clocks aligned
Use a verifiable HTTPS certificate
Configure HTTPS with a valid signed certificate that the desktop and mobile browsers can verify. Trilium’s sync guide warns that setting NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED=0 disables certificate checking and exposes the connection to man-in-the-middle attacks. It is not a normal troubleshooting fix. Replace an invalid or self-signed certificate with a certificate that clients trust, or install the appropriate trust chain on every managed client instead of disabling verification.
Correct time before diagnosing synchronization
Trilium documents a five-minute tolerance between client and server time. Enable reliable time synchronization on the operating system, then check the displayed time zone and clock on the server and every client. A clock that is only a few minutes wrong can produce a failed synchronization even when the address, password, and network route are correct.
Understand protected-note handling
The developer documentation describes protected notes as synchronizing in encrypted form and explains that integrity checks can operate without decrypting their content. This is technical context for the protocol; it is not a claim that every server-side field is end-to-end encrypted. Protect the server, its credentials, and its backups as sensitive data.
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What happens when two devices edit the same note
Trilium’s documented conflict rule is explicit: “If you edit the same note on multiple instances before synchronization, Trilium resolves conflicts by retaining the newer change and discarding the older one.” The older version remains accessible in note revisions.
This is last-change-wins behavior, not a paragraph-by-paragraph merge. If you edit a note on a laptop while the desktop has an unsynchronized edit, the current note will contain the newer change selected by Trilium. Text that existed only in the older change will not be inserted automatically beside the new text.
A safer editing routine
- Synchronize the device you plan to use before starting a substantial edit.
- After saving, leave the client connected long enough for its changes to upload.
- Before editing the same note on another device, allow that device to receive the latest state.
- For a long offline session, avoid editing the same high-value note on another client until the first session has synchronized.
Recover an apparently missing change
- Stop editing the affected note on other devices so you do not create another conflict.
- Open the note’s revision history in Trilium.
- Inspect revisions around the time of the missing edit and identify the older version.
- Copy the needed text or restore the appropriate revision using the current Trilium controls.
- Let the repaired note synchronize, then verify it on another client.
Revisions are a recovery path for an overwritten note, not a guarantee that every failure, deletion, or hardware fault can be undone.
How Trilium checks synchronization integrity
After synchronization, Trilium computes a hash of synchronized data on the client and server. The guide says it automatically initiates recovery when it detects a discrepancy. This mechanism helps detect and repair certain mismatches between members; it should not be interpreted as a promise that user mistakes, a destroyed server, or every form of database corruption is recoverable.
Back up before and after synchronization setup
What the built-in backup rotation provides
Trilium automatically creates database copies daily, weekly, monthly, and before a database migration, with at most four backup points. The backup guide calls this a basic solution and recommends an additional arrangement rather than relying on those rotating copies alone.
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Make an independent copy
Use Settings → Backup to create or download a backup, then copy it to storage that is independent of the live Trilium installation. An external drive or another computer is suitable as a destination for a backup copy. Cloud storage can also be an additional backup destination when it is handled as an archive; it must not become the live Trilium data directory.
Restore a synchronized cluster consistently
If you restore a backup in a configured sync cluster, restore it across all members. Restoring only one member to an older state can cause the other members to detect that older database and synchronize a newer version back over it. Plan the restore as a coordinated maintenance operation: stop normal editing, preserve the current databases, restore the chosen backup to every cluster member, and then reconnect synchronization.
The documented materials do not provide a numeric recovery-time objective or recovery-point objective. Do not promise that a fixed number of minutes of work or a specific restoration time can always be recovered.
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General-purpose synchronization tools operate at the file level. Trilium operates at the database level and may have files open while notes, indexes, attachments, or transaction data are changing. A file-sync service can therefore publish a mixture of old and new files, resolve simultaneous file updates in its own way, or download a partial state while Trilium is running. The result can be database corruption or a state that Trilium cannot safely reconcile.
Use those services, if at all, only to hold a separate backup artifact that Trilium is not actively using. Do not point Trilium’s data directory into a Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Syncthing, NAS-sync, or shared-folder location as a workaround for the supported sync server.
Troubleshoot the common failure modes
| Symptom | Likely cause | Action |
|---|---|---|
| “Test sync” fails immediately | Wrong endpoint, server unavailable, credentials rejected, or certificate not trusted | Confirm the HTTPS address, server status, account details, and certificate chain. Do not disable certificate verification as a shortcut. |
| Synchronization fails with a time-related message | Client and server clocks differ by more than five minutes | Correct operating-system time synchronization on every member, then retry. |
| A second desktop shows no expected notes | The initial server upload has not finished, or the new client joined the wrong server/account | Verify completion on the server, check the endpoint and credentials, and allow the new client’s first synchronization to finish. |
| LAN desktop-to-desktop cannot find the peer | LAN access is disabled, the computers are isolated, or a firewall blocks the route | Enable LAN access (required since v0.104.0), place both machines on a network that permits peer communication, and check firewall rules. |
| An edit appears to have disappeared | The same note changed on another instance before synchronization | Stop editing the note elsewhere and inspect its revisions; Trilium retains the newer change in the current note. |
| A restored member is replaced by newer data | Only one member of a synchronized cluster was restored | Restore the selected backup consistently across all members, preserving current copies first. |
| The database becomes corrupt after using a file-sync folder | A file-sync application copied open database files | Stop the file-sync service, preserve the affected directory, and recover from a known-good Trilium backup. Rebuild synchronization through the supported server or LAN workflow. |
A maintenance routine that minimizes lost work
- Keep one independent backup before the first server pairing and after major migrations.
- Use one clearly named HTTPS endpoint for the synchronized service and monitor its certificate expiration.
- Keep clocks synchronized automatically on the server and all clients.
- Synchronize before switching devices for important notes.
- When working offline, avoid editing the same note on another client until the offline device has reconnected.
- Review note revisions instead of recreating text when a conflict is suspected.
- Test a backup restore periodically on a separate instance so you know where the files are stored and how the restore affects every sync member.
- Keep the Trilium server and clients on supported versions, and recheck current setup labels when upgrading because menu names and mobile behavior can change.
Which option fits your use case?
| Your situation | Recommended path | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop and laptop used throughout the week, often on different networks | Trilium sync server | A stable endpoint supports persistent multi-device synchronization. |
| Two computers in the same office or home, synchronized occasionally | Desktop-to-desktop LAN synchronization | No separate server is needed while direct network access is available. |
| Phone access is needed alongside desktop use | Use the synchronized service and current mobile frontend/PWA instructions | The documented mobile route is browser-based; native-app and offline guarantees are not established here. |
| Long-term archive or pre-migration safety copy | Trilium backup stored independently | An archive protects against failure but does not synchronize live databases. |
| Considering Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Syncthing, or a shared database folder | Do not use it for the live database | File-level synchronization can corrupt an open Trilium database; use the sync protocol instead. |
Limits to keep in mind
- Trilium’s conflict behavior is newer-change selection with revision access, not automatic merging of separate paragraph edits.
- The built-in rotating backups are limited to at most four points and are described as basic.
- Integrity recovery after a hash discrepancy does not replace independent backups.
- A valid HTTPS certificate and aligned clocks are operational requirements, not optional hardening.
- Mobile behavior can change; consult the current mobile frontend documentation rather than assuming native app support or offline synchronization.
- No official numeric promise establishes how much work can always be recovered or how long a restore will take.
The Bottom Line
For dependable Trilium synchronization, connect each desktop to a Trilium sync server—or use the documented LAN desktop-to-desktop method when both computers are reachable. Back up independently, use verified HTTPS, keep clocks within five minutes, and remember that simultaneous edits are resolved by keeping the newer change while the older version remains in revisions. Never use a general-purpose file-sync folder as Trilium’s live database.
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