Quay for Obsidian Vault Sync

One-click Sync

Obsidian stores notes as plain Markdown files in a local folder.

Quay is a macOS menu-bar app that syncs any local folder to GitHub with a single click.

How Quay handles Git operations:

• System Git, not a reimplementation — Quay calls your Mac's /usr/bin/git directly
• Fast-forward merges only — Quay never silently creates merge commits. If local and remote histories have diverged, it stops and lets you choose how to resolve it: merge, rebase, save to a new branch, or reset to the remote version
• Pre-push safety checks — blocks .env, .pem, .key files and anything over 50 MB before they reach GitHub
• One click, full cycle — fetch, fast-forward merge, stage, commit, push. No terminal, no plugin configuration, no cron jobs
• Standard Git repo on disk — your vault remains a normal Git repository that any other tool can read

Setup

1. Create a private repository on GitHub (e.g. my-vault)
2. Install Quay from the App Store and sign in with your GitHub account
3. Click +, select your Obsidian vault folder, and paste the repository URL when prompted
4. Click Sync

Your vault is now backed up to GitHub with full version history. Every sync creates a real Git commit — you can see exactly what changed, when, and roll back to any previous state.

Keeping your vault clean

A good .gitignore keeps your Git history focused on actual notes. Obsidian's .obsidian/ folder contains plugins and settings you probably want to keep, but the workspace files change on every launch and create noise:

.obsidian/workspace.json
.obsidian/workspace-mobile.json
.trash/

If you use community plugins that generate cache files, add those too. The goal is to commit your notes and the configuration that matters.

What Quay doesn't do

Mobile sync. Quay is a macOS app. If you need your vault on iPhone or iPad, you'll need a separate solution for the mobile side — Obsidian Sync, Working Copy, or iCloud for the mobile leg. Quay handles the Mac-to-GitHub piece; mobile is a different problem.

Background auto-sync. Quay syncs when you click the button, not silently in the background. This is deliberate — automatic commits create noisy history and can push half-written notes. You decide when a sync point makes sense.

Conflict resolution for you. When local and remote have diverged, Quay stops and presents your options. It won't guess what you meant — no silent merges, no dropped changes.

Quay works with any folder backed by a Git repository, not just Obsidian vaults. See the solutions page for more workflows, or the manual for full documentation.