Using JW Library backups on a Windows PC
JW Library runs on Windows, but notes do not sync between PC and phone. How to get the app, back up and restore on the PC, and keep every device's notes together.
JW Library runs on Windows as well as phones and tablets, and it makes the same .jwlibrary backup file. That means your PC can be part of the same study library as your phone — as long as you merge the backups rather than restoring one over another.
Step by step
Back up on Windows
In the JW Library Windows app, open the menu, go to Backup and Restore, and create a backup. Save the .jwlibrary file somewhere easy to find.
Back up your phone and tablet too
On each device: Personal Study → three-dot menu → Backup and Restore → Create a backup.
Merge them at jwsync.org
Open jwsync.org in any browser on the PC and load all the backup files. JW Sync combines the notes, highlights, bookmarks and tags from every device into one merged .jwlibrary file — locally, nothing uploaded.
Restore the merged file everywhere
Restore the merged file in the Windows app and on each mobile device. Now the PC, phone and tablet all carry the complete library.
Why the PC is the easiest place to do this
A desktop browser makes loading several files, reviewing the merge preview and saving the result far quicker than tapping on a phone. Many people keep their master merge routine on the computer and just restore the merged file back to their mobile devices.
Getting JW Library on a PC
JW Library has its own Windows app, installed from the Microsoft Store; jw.org lists Windows 10 version 2004 or later as the minimum. If the Store is not available on your computer, jw.org's help pages explain how to install the app manually. Publications download inside the app just as they do on a phone, but your notes do not come with them: each device keeps its own library until you move it with a backup.
Why the PC and the phone do not stay in step
JW Library does not synchronise notes, highlights, tags or bookmarks between devices, and jw.org's own FAQ says so. The notes you type on the PC stay on the PC. A backup and restore copies one device's library onto another, but it replaces what was there, so once both devices have notes of their own, merging the two backups is the only way to end up with everything in one place.
Frequently asked questions
- Does the Windows backup work with iPhone and Android backups?
- Yes — the .jwlibrary format is identical on every platform, so a Windows backup merges freely with phone and tablet backups.
- Do I need to install anything on the PC?
- No. JW Sync is a web page; it runs in Edge, Chrome or Firefox with nothing to install.
- Does JW Library sync between my PC and my phone?
- No. Notes, highlights, tags and bookmarks are not synchronised between devices. You move them with a backup file, and when both devices have notes of their own, you merge the two backups first.