Short version
  1. Put your Obsidian vault in a Git repository.
  2. Install GitSync.md on your iPhone or iPad.
  3. Set GitSync.md's save location to a folder Obsidian can open, usually On My iPhone/iPad → Obsidian.
  4. Clone the vault repository with GitSync.md.
  5. Open that cloned folder as an Obsidian vault and configure Obsidian Git or the syncmd://x-callback-url/sync URL.

Why Obsidian Git needs help on iOS

On desktop, Obsidian Git can use the Git tooling already available on your machine. On iPhone and iPad, there is no system git binary that Obsidian can shell out to, and every app lives inside Apple's sandboxed file system.

GitSync.md fills that missing layer. It uses libgit2 to clone, pull, commit, and push real Git repositories locally on iOS. The result is a normal folder with a real .git directory, not a proprietary notes database or an API-only mirror. Obsidian can edit the Markdown files, and GitSync.md can sync the same working copy.

GitHub or self-hosted Git
←→
GitSync.md
←→
iOS Files
←→
Obsidian
GitSync.md repository list showing cloned vault and documentation repositories
Cloned repos on device. Keep your Obsidian vault and other Markdown repositories as local Git working copies.
GitSync.md vault view with branch, commit, changed files, pull and commit actions
Real Git status. Review branch, commit SHA, changed files, and available pull or push actions before syncing.
GitSync.md Git control sheet with repository status, branches, staged changes, stash, and tags
Commit and push. Stage local Markdown edits and review Git state directly from iPhone or iPad.

Before you start

You need three things:

  • GitSync.md from the App Store.
  • Obsidian on the same iPhone or iPad.
  • A Git remote containing your vault. GitHub is the easiest path, but GitSync.md also supports manually entered remotes such as GitLab, Gitea, Bitbucket, or a self-hosted server over HTTPS token/password or SSH private key.

If your vault is not in Git yet, do that on a desktop first: initialize the vault folder as a Git repo, commit your notes, and push to your remote. Your repository root should be the vault root, so folders like .obsidian/, Daily/, Projects/, and your Markdown files are directly inside the repo.

Avoid nested vault confusion

If the Git repository contains another folder named after the vault, Obsidian may open the wrong level. Clone a repo whose root is the vault, or be deliberate about which folder you open as the vault.

1. Clone the vault into an iOS Files location Obsidian can open

Choose the save location

Open GitSync.md and set the default save location to a Files location that Obsidian can access. For an Obsidian-first setup, the most direct destination is:

On My iPhone → Obsidian
On My iPad   → Obsidian

That puts the cloned Git repository directly in Obsidian's local file area. When the clone finishes, the folder is ready to open as a vault.

Add the remote repository

For GitHub, sign in with GitHub or paste a Personal Access Token, then pick the vault repo from your account. For a self-hosted remote, use manual repository entry and paste the clone URL:

https://git.example.com/team/notes.git
git@git.example.com:team/notes.git
ssh://git@git.example.com:2222/team/notes.git

Choose the matching authentication method: GitHub account, HTTPS token/password, SSH private key, or no authentication for a public repo. Credentials are stored in the iOS Keychain.

Clone it locally

Tap the repo in GitSync.md and clone it. GitSync.md writes the files and the full .git directory to your selected Files location. That local working copy is what Obsidian and GitSync.md will share.

2. Open the cloned folder in Obsidian

Open Obsidian on your iPhone or iPad. If you are at the vault picker, choose Open folder as vault. Navigate to the folder GitSync.md cloned, usually inside On My iPhone/iPad → Obsidian, and open it.

Your notes should appear like they do on desktop. If your .obsidian configuration is committed to the repo, themes, snippets, and plugin settings may already be present. If not, configure the mobile vault normally.

3. Configure Obsidian Git for mobile sync

Install and enable the Obsidian Git community plugin if it is not already in the vault. Then set your Git author details in the plugin settings:

  • Username on your Git server: your GitHub, GitLab, Gitea, or server username.
  • Author name: the name you want on commits.
  • Author email: the email you want on commits.

For the most reliable iOS flow, use GitSync.md's URL scheme as the mobile sync command. The repo value should match the vault folder name shown in GitSync.md:

syncmd://x-callback-url/sync?repo=MyVault&message=Update%20from%20Obsidian

The sync action pulls first, then stages local changes, commits them with the message you pass, and pushes back to the remote. You can also call individual actions if you want separate buttons:

syncmd://x-callback-url/pull?repo=MyVault
syncmd://x-callback-url/push?repo=MyVault&message=Update%20from%20Obsidian
syncmd://x-callback-url/status?repo=MyVault
Why use the URL scheme?

It lets Obsidian hand the Git operation to GitSync.md, where the local repository, credentials, and libgit2 implementation already live. You stay in a normal Obsidian editing flow while GitSync.md performs the mobile-safe Git work.

4. Daily workflow on iPhone and iPad

A good mobile rhythm is simple:

  1. Pull before editing. Use Obsidian Git's mobile sync action or open GitSync.md and pull the vault.
  2. Edit notes in Obsidian. Create daily notes, update project notes, capture inbox items, or work in split view on iPad.
  3. Sync after editing. Trigger the syncmd://x-callback-url/sync URL or use GitSync.md to commit and push.
  4. Review changes when needed. Open the repo in GitSync.md to inspect changed files, branch state, diffs, conflicts, tags, or stashes before pushing.

On iPad, the same setup works with more room: keep Obsidian and GitSync.md side by side, write in Obsidian, then glance at GitSync.md's repo view before pushing.

GitHub and self-hosted remotes both work

GitHub is the fastest setup because GitSync.md can browse your account repositories after sign-in. Self-hosted Git is still supported: paste the remote URL manually, choose HTTPS token/password or SSH private key, and clone into the same Obsidian Files location.

After the repository exists locally, Obsidian does not need to know whether the remote is GitHub, GitLab, Gitea, Bitbucket, or a private server. It edits files in the local vault folder; GitSync.md handles the remote protocol when you sync.

Troubleshooting

Obsidian does not show the vault

Check where the repo was cloned. For the easiest Obsidian workflow, clone into On My iPhone/iPad → Obsidian, then use Open folder as vault from Obsidian's vault picker.

Obsidian Git says there is no Git repository

Make sure you opened the cloned repository folder, not its parent folder. The folder you open should contain the hidden .git directory that GitSync.md created.

Push fails from mobile

Open GitSync.md and verify the repo can pull or push there. If GitSync.md cannot authenticate, update the repository's auth method or token. For self-hosted SSH remotes, confirm the private key, passphrase, host, and port.

The sync URL does not find the repo

The repo query parameter must match the vault folder name in GitSync.md. If your folder is named second-brain, use repo=second-brain, not the remote repository title from your Git host.

Recap

Obsidian Git on iPhone and iPad works best when you separate responsibilities: Obsidian edits Markdown, GitSync.md owns the real local Git working copy, and iOS Files is the bridge between them. Clone once, open the folder as a vault, then use syncmd:// automation or GitSync.md's own controls to pull, commit, and push.

Related setup guide

If you want the earlier, more compact walkthrough focused specifically on the Obsidian Git plugin setup, read Using GitSync.md with Obsidian Git on iOS.