How to keep JW Library in sync between multiple devices
JW Library has no built-in sync between devices. Here's a simple, private routine to keep notes, highlights and bookmarks identical on your phone, tablet and computer.
JW Library doesn't sync personal study data between devices — there's no account that carries your notes from your phone to your tablet. The official mechanism is Backup and Restore, and a restore replaces the device's data outright. So how do you keep two or three devices identical without losing anything?
The answer is a short merge-and-restore routine. Done weekly or monthly, it takes about two minutes and keeps every device carrying your complete library.
Step by step
Back up every device
On each device: Personal Study → three-dot menu → Backup and Restore → Create a backup. You get one .jwlibrary file per device.
Merge the backups at jwsync.org
Load all the files. JW Sync combines the notes, highlights, bookmarks and tags from every device into one merged .jwlibrary file — locally in your browser, nothing uploaded.
Restore the merged file on every device
Backup and Restore → Restore, pick the merged file. Every device is now identical and complete.
Let JW Sync remind you
Turn on a sync reminder (weekly or monthly) in JW Sync and it will nudge you when it's time to repeat the routine. It also remembers your saved devices, so each round is faster.
Why not just restore the newest backup?
Because “newest” only reflects one device. If you took meeting notes on the phone and study notes on the tablet the same week, each backup has content the other lacks. Restoring either one over the other loses half your work. Merging first is what makes the routine safe.
How often should I sync?
Match it to how you study. Two active devices used daily: weekly is comfortable. A tablet that only comes out for meetings: monthly is plenty. The cost of waiting longer is only that the merge has more to combine — nothing is ever lost between rounds.
Frequently asked questions
- Does JW Sync run in the background?
- No — it's a web page, not an installed service. Nothing scans your devices. You run the routine when you choose; the optional reminder is just a notification.
- Can I sync three or more devices?
- Yes. Back up each one, load all the files, merge once, restore the merged file everywhere.