Obsidian Sync stuck in syncing loop (re-uploading the same files)

Obsidian Sync gets stuck in a loop very often.

Switched to bug report as it’s happening on Obsidian files as well (see comment), so I don’t think it’s related to a plugin.

Current Workaround/Solution

  1. When the sync loop starts, disconnect and reconnect your vault:
    Settings > Sync > Disconnect
  2. Reconnect and accept Merging changes
  3. Wait for sync to complete: Server pushed of your notes until Fully synced

Source : Discord - @bofa in #obsidian-sync > DoomHammer’s Sync woes

This solution takes some time, and I fear losing notes in the process.

Step to reproduce

Couldn’t identify the cause.
A loop happening on a device won’t happen on another device, it seems device related. Happened on Windows, Ubuntu, and Android.

Environment

Initial debug info (at post creation): Obsidian Debug info - 2024-04-03 - Pastebin.com

Debug info (23-10-2024)
SYSTEM INFO:
	Obsidian version: v1.7.4
	Installer version: v1.5.3
	Operating system: Windows 10 Pro 10.0.19045
	Login status: logged in
	Language: en
	Catalyst license: insider
	Insider build toggle: off
	Live preview: on
	Base theme: dark
	Community theme: Things v2.1.20
	Snippets enabled: 7
	Restricted mode: off
	Plugins installed: 41
	Plugins enabled: 30
		1: Advanced Tables v0.22.0
		2: Editor Syntax Highlight v0.1.3
		3: Settings Search v1.3.10
		4: Templater v2.8.2
		5: Update modified date v1.4.5
		6: Image Captions v1.1.3
		7: File Color v1.1.0
		8: Dataview v0.5.67
		9: Copy as HTML v1.1.3
		10: Excel to Markdown Table v0.4.0
		11: Fullscreen mode plugin v0.1.2
		12: Git v2.27.0
		13: Heading Shifter v1.6.1
		14: Hover Editor v0.11.21
		15: Notes dater v2.0.2
		16: Open vault in VSCode v1.2.3
		17: Sync Graph Settings v1.4.0
		18: Zotero Integration v3.2.1
		19: Another Quick Switcher v12.0.1
		20: Simple CanvaSearch v1.0.0
		21: Imgur v2.6.2
		22: Command Alias v2.1.1
		23: File Cooker v1.9.0
		24: Metadata Hider v1.0.2
		25: Plugin Update Tracker v1.6.0
		26: Recent Files v1.6.0
		27: Copy Block Link v1.0.4
		28: Painter v1.1.0
		29: Image Toolkit v1.4.2
		30: Nicolas' Plugin v1.0.2

RECOMMENDATIONS:
	Custom theme and snippets: for cosmetic issues, please first try updating your theme and disabling your snippets. If still not fixed, please try to make the issue happen in the Sandbox Vault or disable community theme and snippets.
	Community plugins: for bugs, please first try updating all your plugins to latest. If still not fixed, please try to make the issue happen in the Sandbox Vault or disable community plugins.

I am using and syncing my Obsidian vault on multiple devices.

Example

2024-04-02 10:21 - Uploading file physique-chimie-biochimie/Acides minéraux.md
2024-04-02 10:21 - Upload complete physique-chimie-biochimie/Acides minéraux.md
2024-04-02 10:21 - Uploading file physique-chimie-biochimie/Acides minéraux.md
2024-04-02 10:21 - Upload complete physique-chimie-biochimie/Acides minéraux.md
2024-04-02 10:22 - Uploading file physique-chimie-biochimie/Acides minéraux.md
2024-04-02 10:22 - Upload complete physique-chimie-biochimie/Acides minéraux.md
2024-04-02 10:22 - Uploading file physique-chimie-biochimie/Acides minéraux.md
2024-04-02 10:22 - Upload complete physique-chimie-biochimie/Acides minéraux.md
4 Likes

Not sure if relevant but there’s a thread on Discord about a Sync loop problem. I was under the impression it was at least partly fixed for the people who were experiencing it, but I could be wrong (it’s a long thread, unfortunately). Discord

You can also email [email protected] for direct help.

1 Like

OK thanks @CawlinTeffid!
I’ve updated my initial post after checking the Discord thread.

I have the same problem now on my Android phone (my MacBooks work fine). I’ve tried reconnecting but it still ended up in the same loop …

My phone can receive the changes from my MacBook but is unable to upload new notes because it’s stuck in a loop trying to upload the same files over and over again.

As an update, it still happens frequently (several times a week) on my two laptops, but strangely enough, never on my Android from what I can remember.

I noticed a similar problem today.

  1. Sync wasn’t syncing across devices
  2. Checked sync settings (android)
  3. Observed that Sync was mysteriously disabled on my phone
  4. Re-enabled
  5. Noticed it uploading lots of files
  6. Checked back hours later and it’s still uploading lots of files
  7. Inspect logs closely
  8. Observe lots of duplicate files repeatedly showing up in sync logs
  9. Observe that notes recently updated on my phone aren’t being synced to my desktop
  10. Pausing and resuming doesn’t help
  11. Closing and reopening the app doesn’t help
  12. After disconnecting from the vault and reconnecting, I’m not seeing the infinite loop (it’s only been a few minutes) and I do see recent changes on my phone synced to my desktop. So maybe it’s mitigated for now. Thanks for the workaround!
1 Like

Note: I did contact support twice today about these issues. I’ll try to remember to post here when I hear back.

(Also, it’s inconvenient that I can’t edit the above post anymore because too much time has passed since I originally wrote it…)

1 Like

I have recently updated all of my plugins, and it seems to have solved the issue. I don’t have the loop anymore.

EDIT: No, it’s still happening :cry:

Maybe it’s related to the fact that I sync on 4 different OS.

From the most often to the least:

  • Windows 10
  • Android
  • Kubuntu 24.04
  • Windows 11
Previous post content (when I thought it was fixed)

Table below shows plugins I had and their version before and after the upgrade:

plugin id previous version current version
cm-editor-syntax-highlight-obsidian 0.1.3 0.1.3
copy-as-html 1.1.3 1.1.3
dataview 0.5.64 0.5.66
frontmatter-modified-date 1.3.2 1.3.2
image-captions 1.1.0 1.1.0
metadata-hider 1.0.1 1.0.2
notes-dater 2.0.2 2.0.2
novel-word-count 2.14.0 3.9.0
obsidian-another-quick-switcher 11.0.0 11.4.0
obsidian-command-alias-plugin 2.1.0 2.1.0
contribution-graph 0.8.0 0.8.0
obsidian-excel-to-markdown-table 0.4.0 0.4.0
obsidian-file-color 1.0.3 1.1.0
obsidian-file-cooker 1.9.0 1.9.0
obsidian-fullscreen-plugin 0.1.2 0.1.2
obsidian-git 2.24.1 2.24.2
obsidian-heading-shifter 1.5.1 1.5.1
obsidian-hover-editor 0.11.17 0.11.20
obsidian-imgur-plugin 2.5.2 2.5.2
obsidian-linter 1.23.2 1.23.2
obsidian-zotero-desktop-connector 3.1.7 3.1.8
open-vscode 1.2.2 1.2.2
recent-files-obsidian 1.3.5 1.4.1
settings-search 1.3.8 1.3.10
simple-canvasearch 0.1.0 0.1.0
sync-graph-settings 1.0.1 1.2.0
table-editor-obsidian 0.18.1 0.21.0
templater-obsidian 1.16.0 2.3.3

I was not aware that community plugins didn’t get automatically updated as they were released.
That’s where this kind of feature being implemented would prove useful: Automatic plugin updates

In the meantime, I advise Obsidian users to use this handy plugin to manage your installed plugin versions: GitHub - swar8080/obsidian-plugin-update-tracker: Know when installed obsidian plugins have updates and evaluate the risk of upgrading

1 Like

This topic was automatically closed 28 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.

For anyone who stumbles upon this:

Sync loops can also rarely happen if there is a file or folder that contains an illegal special character on the receiving OS. For example, Android really dislikes filenames with more than one period . in its name. Try renaming the looping files and folders, and see if it helps.

1 Like

I’m still having the issue, on mobile device as well.

I wanted to add that my most recent issue was with an internal Obsidian file, so it’s probably not linked with plugins. :man_shrugging:

2024-10-19 22:12 - Connecting to server
2024-10-19 22:12 - Connection successful. Detecting changes...
...
2024-10-19 22:12 - Uploading file .obsidian/core-plugins.json
2024-10-19 22:12 - Upload complete .obsidian/core-plugins.json
2024-10-19 22:13 - Uploading file .obsidian/core-plugins.json
2024-10-19 22:13 - Upload complete .obsidian/core-plugins.json
2024-10-19 22:14 - Uploading file .obsidian/core-plugins.json
2024-10-19 22:14 - Upload complete .obsidian/core-plugins.json
2024-10-19 22:15 - Uploading file .obsidian/core-plugins.json
2024-10-19 22:15 - Upload complete .obsidian/core-plugins.json
...