Questions about restoring Joplin data on a new PC

Support
1

Say I'm getting a new PC with Windows, and want to migrate my Joplin data to it (currently 2.12.19). I subscribe to Microsoft 365 (OneDrive). So how would you do it? Copy the C:\Users\me\.config\joplin-desktop folder 'as is' to a secure backup location, then install Joplin on the freshly-installed Windows, then copy over the backed up folder? Or the other way around — first, creating the above dir, then installing Joplin? Or, instead, exporting a big single .jex file prior to migrating? What is the recomended approach?

This begs the questions:

  1. Would any of the two lead to a conflict?
  2. Would it matter whether the notes are with encryption set?

What if I want to restore from the OneDrive sync target? So I install Windows, then set up OneDrive, then install Joplin, then configure OneDrive as the sync target, providing credentials, and wait (patiently) for the notes and tags to come through?

Ah, I found this topic, which includes some of Laurent's tips, but that seems a bit more specific; I'm asking generally, and hypothetically. This should be in the FAQ :slight_smile:

2

Why all the complexity? If you got a new phone, would you be doing all this? No, you would just sync with the cloud, where you have the master copy. Do the same with a new PC.

3

Ok, but is that the "official", "supported", recomended, wise, optimal way to do it?

4

If you already sync joplin data between onedrive and your „old“ device, this is the recommended way for every new device, yes!

3 Likes
5

I've 'set up' (not the correct term here) Joplin Portable by copying over the profile directory to thumb drives and the like half a dozen time, and I've never met with a conflict. Can't say if this is in any way recommended however.

Then you'd lose versioning, i.e. note history (if that's important to you). The default value for this is 30 days.

1 Like
6

This topic was automatically closed 30 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.