Add a simpler way to downgrade from a broken release

Feature requests
1

Use case or problem

It would be nice to have a simple way to downgrade Obsidian. This would reduce the amount of trouble a broken release can cause. For example, a recent release of Obsidian introduced a bug that will cause it to destroy the numbering in notes containing multiple numbered lists as soon as the user starts editing, which makes it impossible to edit the affected notes until a fix is available.

Proposed solution

Bugs like this, that render the software unusable (but only for some small percentage of users), can slip even by the best of testing. It would be nice if it was easy to downgrade, so affected users can continue to use the app while waiting for a fix.

Current workaround

Currently there seems to be no documented way to downgrade Obsidian. The forums mention downloading an older version from GitHub, but at least on macOS this no longer works (the actual application seems to now be stored in the global settings folder, so installing an older version of Obsidian.app has no effect whatsoever).

For macOS, the easiest way to downgrade I could find is the following:

  1. Remove Obsidian.app
  2. Remove global settings folder (/Users/yourusername/Library/Application Support/obsidian)
  3. Download an old version from Github
  4. Disconnect from the internet (otherwise it will auto-update before you can turn that off!)
  5. Install Obsidian.app
  6. Launch Obsidian.app
  7. Open Vault
  8. Turn off auto-update
  9. Reconnect computer to the internet
  10. Re-enter license key
  11. Sign in again
  12. Reconnect to sync
  13. Redo all global settings

For iOS the situation seems to be even worse, since I could not find a way to downgrade at all, which means I’m currently making notes in a different app for the things I need to put into Obsidian when I get home, since I don’t want to risk opening the app on my phone :smiley:

1 Like
2

At least on macOS, downgrading can be done much more easily than with your method:

  1. Turn off Settings > General > Automatic updates
  2. Quit Obsidian (Cmd+Q)
  3. Delete ~/Library/Application Support/obsidian/obsidian-<VERSION>.asar if it exists
  4. Download an old installer from GitHub
  5. Install Obsidian using the installer (open the installer, drag & drop Obsidian.md to Applications, choose “Replace” if prompted)
  6. Open Obsidian

Done. I’m not sure about iOS though.

2 Likes
3

Also, for both your lists:

  1. Make backups (or have already kept some backups)
4

You should be able to install older versions of Obsidian on your iPhone

On Android the downgrading process is very easy, basically zip your vault, download an older version from Obsidian’s GitHub releases and overwrite the new with the old app. (Sync off, app closed)

If you feel comfortable to downgrade Obsidian on your iPhone, do following:

  1. First, backup your vault using a file browser able to zip files and folders. For safety move your zipped vault to your download folder.

  2. Next, try to download an older version of Obsidian from a 3rd party website. Obsidian on GitHub seems to store no IPA packages, idk why.

  3. Once you’ve an older version of Obsidian, install

Final tip: download some backup app to create snapshots of your favorite apps on phone, so you’ve always tool at hand to restore quickly your favourite apps.