Data Safety
Your data is safe during alpha. This guide explains how Skelenote protects your data and how to back it up.
Your Data Will Persist
Alpha updates will NOT delete your data.
Skelenote uses Loro CRDT for data storage, which maintains backwards compatibility. When you update to a new version:
Your existing objects remain intact
Your Skeleton Key continues to work
Sync connections resume automatically
We test every release against existing vaults before publishing.
Where Your Data Lives
Data File Locations
macOS
~/Library/Application Support/com.skelenote.app/data/
Windows
%APPDATA%\com.skelenote.app\data\
Linux
~/.local/share/com.skelenote.app/data/
Key files:
store.loro- Your entire vault (encrypted CRDT document)skeleton_key.enc- Your encrypted master key
Skeleton Key Storage
Your Skeleton Key is stored in your operating system's secure keychain:
macOS: Keychain Access
Windows: Credential Manager
Linux: Secret Service (GNOME Keyring, KWallet)
How to Back Up Your Vault
Quick Backup (Copy the Data Folder)
The simplest backup is copying your entire data folder:
macOS:
Windows (PowerShell):
Linux:
Export to Markdown
For a human-readable backup:
Go to Settings > Data > Export All
Save the ZIP file somewhere safe
The ZIP contains organized Markdown files with YAML frontmatter
This backup is NOT encrypted - store it securely.
Cloud Storage Recommendations
You can sync your data folder to cloud storage for automatic backups:
iCloud Drive
Works well on macOS, automatic
Dropbox
Cross-platform, versioning
Google Drive
Cross-platform
Syncthing
Self-hosted, no cloud
Important: The store.loro file is already encrypted. Cloud storage adds convenience, not security.
How to Restore from Backup
From Data Folder Backup
Close Skelenote completely
Navigate to your data folder (see locations above)
Replace
store.lorowith your backup copyRestart Skelenote
Your Skeleton Key is stored separately in the system keychain, so it will still work.
From Markdown Export
Use the import wizard to restore from Markdown exports:
Open Settings → Data → Import
Select Markdown Files
Choose your exported
.mdfilesReview and import
See Export & Import Guide for details.
Emergency Recovery
"I updated and something broke"
Don't panic - your data file is likely fine
Check Known Issues for the new version
Try restarting the app
If the app won't launch, your data is still safe in the data folder
"I think I lost data"
Before panicking:
Check Inbox - new items go there first
Check Archive - items may be archived, not deleted
Search - use Cmd/Ctrl+K to search all objects
If data is truly missing:
Check if you have a backup
If using sync, check other devices - data may still be there
Report the issue immediately with details about what's missing
"My Skeleton Key isn't working"
Verify you're entering the correct 24 words
Check for typos - words must match exactly (lowercase)
Ensure no extra spaces between words
If you have the app working on another device, your key is correct
If you've lost your Skeleton Key entirely, data is unrecoverable. This is by design for security.
Best Practices
Regular Backups
Weekly: Copy your data folder to an external drive or cloud storage
Before updates: Back up before installing new versions (extra cautious)
After major work: Back up after creating lots of important content
Multiple Devices
Using Skelenote on multiple devices via sync is itself a form of backup. If one device fails, others have copies of your data.
Test Your Backups
Periodically verify your backups work:
Copy
store.loroto a temporary locationInstall Skelenote on a fresh system (or VM)
Place the backup file in the data folder
Verify you can unlock and see your data
What We're Improving
Planned features for better data safety:
Questions?
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