Move Anytype folder to Google Drive

[albertomercurio]

What do you need help with?

Hello,

In another thread here (Some questions on synchronization) I was told that Local-Only does not have any advantage with respect to AnySync.

When my AnySync storage gets full, the new files will not be stored online for obvious reasons, but that my P2P synchronization will still continue to work. However, what happens if I lose my laptop? I guess that I will lose all the extra files not synced with AnySync.

So, I was wondering if it possible to move the AnyType folder to a Google Drive or similar folders, in order to avoid these problems.

OS

MacOS Sequoia 15.6.1

Anytype Version

0.49.2

Network Mode

AnySync

Technical Information

OS version: darwin arm64 15.6.1
App version: 0.49.2
Build number: build on 2025-08-19 10:36:34 +0000 UTC at #f6a52252cfb9373a9191f92745bd70587934ea24
Library version: v0.43.0-rc02
Anytype Identity: AB7bvjBTvhYJooekoVMFdKzhdbnDDf9JZruXaEfwxzCXKq14
Analytics ID: MaTLdCc1nNxjLUfVArZTp7teyyrhKe9j8MDAa8JY61kc4LA8
Device ID: 12D3KooWCfWvqtKfWFN9gd45eXK6QwhzbNtLdVeHhKFPrfsD6Z9q
Ethereum Address: 0xE5c12904402d2561B85142e90516940222D91d14

[Filip]

@albertomercurio

So, I was wondering if it possible to move the AnyType folder to a Google Drive or similar folders, in order to avoid these problems.

From our docs:

We don’t recommend using cloud providers like Google Drive or iCloud since you might end up with sync conflicts / issues.

Anton also shared some additional info here:

Some questions on synchronization

Hi, could you shed some light on this please? I’m curious why putting the Anytype data folder in a drive would cause data lost? I heard people doing this for Obsidian without any problem

[albertomercurio]

Thanks for the reply.

I don’t actually understand why it is not safe to store it in a Google Drive or similar folder. I mean, if the synchronization is only unidirectional (I just put the project folder in a Google Drive folder of my macbook, while the iPhon syncs through P2P), what can go wrong?

Also, let’s suppose I manage to make it work. What should I do to restore the project in another laptop?

[krst]

Some questions on synchronization

Obsidian works with Dropbox because it stores unencrypted markdown files that don’t need real-time collaboration — if a conflict happens, you just get duplicate files. Anytype, on the other hand, uses an encrypted graph of operations (a DAG). To stay consistent across devices, this structure needs a sync protocol that understands it. Dropbox only copies files blindly, which can break the graph and cause data loss. That’s why Anytype requires Any-Sync.

It’s mostly explained here. You leave Google Drive to decide in the end what will be the synced state. This might undermine what Anytype does and expects. Just enter the key on every device you want to use and let Anytype do the syncing.

[albertomercurio]

I was already aware of that comment, but thanks for having reminded me of it.

So, the main problem is the encryption, that may creates duplicates during the syncing process.

The reason I’m asking this is because I’m approaching to fill the entire 1GB space, and I would like to continue to sync them using cloud services I’m already paying. Is the self hosted case the only way to go then? Can I remove encryption to overcome this problem?

I mean, it was already clarified that the files will continue to sync through P2P even when the 1GB will be filled, but I think this is still a problem if I lose my laptop, since the extra files will only be stored locally, right?

If the self hosted is the only way, do you have a specific recommendation to have it? If I understood correctly from the docs, I have to install a docker container in a server, which should in principle be operative 24/7. Is that correct? If so, I guess I need a mini pc server constantly operative, which is something I would avoid. Are there other options, maybe cheaper or even free to do that?

Thanks again for your time. I switched to AnyType from Obsidian one month ago, and I really like it. As I said, I already pay other cloud services, and I don’t want to pay for another one. Obsidian was simpler to manage this, due to the not use of encryption, but I think a self-made free sync is very important for an app like AnyType.

[krst]

@albertomercurio

So, the main problem is the encryption, that may creates duplicates during the syncing process.

the main problem is that anytype is a database and not every object is a strict file. Anytype has it’s own sync logic. when google drive then decides the version online is newer or doesn’t sync something because the file size is identical or does not sync fast enough or whatever. Anytype gets in a corrupted state. It is not a file based solution
you also can’t use two devices at the same time if you decide to use the same location.

@albertomercurio

If the self hosted is the only way, do you have a specific recommendation to have it? If I understood correctly from the docs, I have to install a docker container in a server, which should in principle be operative 24/7. Is that correct? If so, I guess I need a mini pc server constantly operative, which is something I would avoid. Are there other options, maybe cheaper or even free to do that?

it should run 24/7 yes

in theory you can also run it when you want and anytype syncs when it is available. but then you rely on P2P only. I personally would avoid this and have a consistant state on my server for all to serve.
electricity wise it shouldn’t be expensive and only cost you a few cents per month if you have an energy efficient system.

[Shampra]

Why not set up a task that regularly backs up the folder to the drive?
A backup application that runs once a day, so that if the laptop is lost or breaks down, you have the latest backup (it’s not real time, but by setting the frequency carefully, you can limit your losses).

[albertomercurio]

Thanks, I would avoid to by a mini pc server specifically to run that. Since the docker container should be not so demanding in terms of resources (except space), are there alternatives online that allow that?

[albertomercurio]

@Shampra

Why not set up a task that regularly backs up the folder to the drive?

That would be a very nice workaround. Perhaps checking first that AnyType is not operative.

But I’m wondering how to restore it an a new machine. Does AnyType provide a way to restore a Space from a folder?

[krst]

@albertomercurio

Since the docker container should be not so demanding in terms of resources (except space), are there alternatives online that allow that?

you can get a free tier VPS from Oracle cloud where you can have more than 100GB and 50mbit bandwidth.

otherwise I like Hetzner Cloud, as it is very flexible. but there are many options out there.

@albertomercurio

But I’m wondering how to restore it an a new machine. Does AnyType provide a way to restore a Space from a folder?

you would need to replace the whole anytype folder then. if you want to restore real backups (that you can create within the app), you need to manually use the backup functionality within the app. this can be restored in the app.

if you decide to just replace the anytype folder as @Shampra suggests, be sure other devices in your network don’ have a newer state of something. if so, newer states get transmitted back to your just restored backup.

I think the safest way to deal with this in an automatic fashion is to have a server if that’s your thing, that also gets backed up automatically every day (ideally to an off site storage).

[Shampra]

@krst

if you decide to just replace the anytype folder as @Shampra suggests, be sure other devices in your network don’ have a newer state of something. if so, newer states get transmitted back to your just restored backup.

Good point. This suggestion is valid if you only have one device with Anytype (I believe that’s the case), otherwise it becomes riskier and less reliable than P2P synchronization.
(I say that, but my synchronization hasn’t been working for quite some time now, so…)

[krst]

@Shampra

(I say that, but my synchronization hasn’t been working for quite some time now, so…)

do you have a separate thread about it? this shouldn’t be

[Shampra]

It’s one of my bugs reports :

File not sync because "out of space" but remote has enough space AND wrong sync icon

What’s The Bug? In one of my space, I’ve 2 “Not synced files”. 1st problem : sync icon is green, always green! I can’t see easily that there is a problem. It says that it is syncing, but it isn’t. [image] 2nd problem : I’ve free space in remote storage but 2 files cannot be synced [image] BUT if I upload files in another personnal space, it works. [image] How To Reproduce It For the first problem : upload more in your space than your remote space can accept For the second : IDK The E…

[SneakyPanda]

I would also like this…..
Saving to Google Drive folder works good for me now, but the issue is syncing from this solution to my mobile app…. The mobile app opens once with the correct synced data, but stops updating data afterwards. On my desktop and laptop everything is fine through Google Drive tho.

[Filip]

Syncing through a Google Drive folder is not a supported method for keeping devices in sync. Anytype stores data locally on each device and syncs it through the Anytype network between your devices and backup nodes.

Because of this, using a third party folder sync (like Google Drive) may appear to work at first but can easily stop updating or cause inconsistencies.

For reliable syncing between desktop and mobile, please enable Anytype network sync in the app settings instead.

If the mobile app still does not update after that, feel free to share your device type and app version and we can take a closer look.