Time Machine
Sébastien Dubois12k downloadsBrowse, compare, and restore previous versions of your notes using built-in file-recovery snapshots.
- Overview
- Scorecard
- Updates26
Ever accidentally deleted a paragraph, overwrote a section, or wished you could see what your note looked like an hour ago? Time Machine gives you instant access to every snapshot Obsidian has silently saved for you -- plus your git history if your vault is in a repository.
What it does
Time Machine turns Obsidian's built-in File Recovery snapshots and git commits into a visual version rail. Step through your note's history, see exactly what changed, and restore anything -- an entire version or just a single paragraph.
Features
- Side-by-side view -- open a note as it was, beside your live editor. Step through versions on the left while you keep editing on the right.
- Version rail -- step through your note's history to see how it evolved over time
- Colored diff view -- additions in green, deletions in red, so you can instantly spot what changed
- Comparison modes -- diff the selected version against the current file (cumulative) or against the next version (step by step, like core File Recovery)
- Full version restore -- roll back your entire note to any previous snapshot
- Selective restore -- restore just the specific changes you want, leaving the rest untouched
- Git integration -- automatically shows git commits alongside File Recovery snapshots on the same timeline (desktop only)
- External Git repositories -- supports vault-root
.gitpointers to sibling bare repositories, plus linked worktrees and nested vaults - Source indicators -- each snapshot shows whether it comes from File Recovery or a git commit
- On-demand snapshots -- force-create a File Recovery snapshot whenever you want, without waiting for the timer
- Markdown history export -- save recorded history as a separate note, with diffs or full versions and source metadata
- Frozen history -- insert a durable history section into the current note after confirmation; refresh it without duplicating the section
- Auto-sync -- the view updates automatically when you switch between files
- Smart filtering -- only shows snapshots that actually differ from your current content, with duplicates removed
- Desktop and mobile -- works wherever Obsidian runs (git features are desktop-only)
Installation
Requires Obsidian 1.13.0 or later. The settings pane uses the declarative settings API introduced in 1.13. On an older version the plugin will not load, and the community catalog will not offer it to you — but a manual or BRAT install can still put an incompatible build in your vault, so check Settings → About first.
Community plugins (recommended)
- In Obsidian, go to Settings → Community plugins.
- Disable Restricted mode if it's enabled.
- Select Browse, search for Time Machine, install it, then enable it.
You can also browse the catalog on the Obsidian Community website.
Manual installation
If the plugin isn't listed in the community catalog yet (or you want a specific version):
- Download
main.js,manifest.json, andstyles.cssfrom the latest release. - Copy them into
<Vault>/.obsidian/plugins/time-machine/. - Reload Obsidian and enable Time Machine in Settings → Community plugins.
BRAT (bleeding edge)
BRAT (Beta Reviewers Auto-update Tool) installs plugins straight from a GitHub repo and keeps them updated automatically. Use this if you want the latest commits — things might break.
- Install Obsidian42 - BRAT from Settings → Community plugins → Browse and enable it.
- Run BRAT: Add a beta plugin for testing from the command palette.
- Paste
https://github.com/dsebastien/obsidian-time-machine. - Select the latest version and confirm.
- Enable Time Machine in Settings → Community plugins.
Getting started
- Enable the File Recovery core plugin in Settings -> Core plugins (it's usually on by default)
- Install Time Machine (see Installation above).
- Open the command palette (
Ctrl/Cmd + P) and run Time Machine: Open view - Start browsing your note's history
If your vault is a git repository, Time Machine will automatically include git commits on the timeline -- no extra setup needed.
How it works
Time Machine reads snapshots from two sources:
- File Recovery (always) -- Obsidian's core plugin that automatically saves snapshots at regular intervals (every 2 minutes by default)
- Git (desktop, optional) -- if your vault lives in a git repository, Time Machine fetches the commit history for each file
- What's new after updates. After a plugin update, a one-time dialog shows the release notes you just received (including skipped versions) with ways to support development. Never shown on fresh installs or regular restarts.
Both sources are merged into a single chronological timeline. Snapshots with identical content are deduplicated, keeping only the most recent one.
You don't need to do anything special -- just write your notes as usual. Time Machine will always have your history ready when you need it.
Documentation
- Usage guide -- browse, compare, restore, export, and freeze history
- Configuration -- plugin settings and File Recovery configuration
- Tips and troubleshooting -- common questions and solutions
License
MIT
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Everything I build is documented in my newsletter and on my YouTube channel.
News & support
To stay up to date about this plugin, Obsidian in general, Personal Knowledge Management and note-taking:
- Subscribe to my newsletter
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- Join the Knowii community and learn to organize your notes and put your knowledge to work, together with fellow knowledge workers
If this plugin is useful to you, here are the best ways to support my work ❤️:
- Join the Knowii community
- Become a GitHub Sponsor
- Buy me a coffee
- Subscribe to my YouTube channel
- Check out my products
Found a bug or have an idea? Open an issue.