[GH-ISSUE #8416] [BUG] Local data cannot be loaded after being copied to another computer. #3815

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opened 2026-03-23 21:33:22 +00:00 by mirror · 3 comments

mirror commented

2026-03-23 21:33:22 +00:00

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Originally created by @kaic-ss on GitHub (Jan 4, 2026).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/AppFlowy-IO/AppFlowy/issues/8416

I am using anonymous mode.

I copied and saved the original data directory (AppFlowy/AppFlowyDataDoNotRename, AppFlowy/AppFlowyDataDoNotRename_aHR0cHM6Ly9iZXRhLmFwcGZsb3d5LmNsb3Vk) from one computer,
And then installed the same version of AppFlowy (v0.9.3) on another computer (from windows10 to windows11).
I tried changing the data path in Settings->Manage data->Change path, or simply copying the original data to the default path, but I was unable to recover the data.

The original data file directory name was 466087313135374336, but every time I perform the above operations, AppFlowy creates a new directory, such as 543991576397877248, and does not reuse my previous data file directory 466087313135374336.

I have tried https://github.com/AppFlowy-IO/AppFlowy/issues/7872#issuecomment-2853413072, but it did not work.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to fix this?

Originally created by @kaic-ss on GitHub (Jan 4, 2026). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/AppFlowy-IO/AppFlowy/issues/8416 I am using anonymous mode. - I copied and saved the original data directory (**AppFlowy/AppFlowyDataDoNotRename**, **AppFlowy/AppFlowyDataDoNotRename_aHR0cHM6Ly9iZXRhLmFwcGZsb3d5LmNsb3Vk**) from one computer, - And then installed the same version of AppFlowy (v0.9.3) on another computer (from windows10 to windows11). - I tried changing the data path in **Settings->Manage data->Change path**, or simply copying the original data to the default path, but I was unable to recover the data. The original data file directory name was **466087313135374336**, but every time I perform the above operations, AppFlowy creates a new directory, such as **543991576397877248**, and does not reuse my previous data file directory **466087313135374336**. I have tried https://github.com/AppFlowy-IO/AppFlowy/issues/7872#issuecomment-2853413072, but it did not work. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to fix this?

mirror commented

2026-03-23 21:33:22 +00:00

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@kaic-ss commented on GitHub (Jan 4, 2026):

@appflowy @annieappflowy @Vivian-appflowy Could you please offer some suggestions on how to restore my local data on a new computer machine?

@kaic-ss commented on GitHub (Jan 4, 2026): @appflowy @annieappflowy @Vivian-appflowy Could you please offer some suggestions on how to restore my local data on a new computer machine?

mirror commented

2026-03-23 21:33:22 +00:00

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@LucasXu0 commented on GitHub (Jan 7, 2026):

Please try to follow the below steps to restore your data. Before you do that, please backup your original data from AppFlowy/AppFlowyDataDoNotRename_aHR0cHM6Ly9iZXRhLmFwcGZsb3d5LmNsb3Vk first.

On your old PC

Navigate to the Manage data tab in your settings page.
Open the File storage location
Backup this folder as a zip file. Do not zip the subfolder named with numbers like 466087313135374336.

On your new PC

Enter the anonymous mode. By default, it will create a folder named data_beta.appflowy.cloud.
Exit the application. Remove all the data in the data_beta.appflowy.cloud folder, but do not delete this folder.
Copy all the files from the old data folder into the data_beta.appflowy.cloud folder.
Restart the application. You will see your old data recovered.

@LucasXu0 commented on GitHub (Jan 7, 2026): Please try to follow the below steps to restore your data. Before you do that, please **backup** your original data from `AppFlowy/AppFlowyDataDoNotRename_aHR0cHM6Ly9iZXRhLmFwcGZsb3d5LmNsb3Vk` first. ### On your old PC 1. Navigate to the Manage data tab in your settings page. 2. Open the File storage location <img width="719" height="332" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/75d8cb89-4fb7-4b6e-a2b0-079fa10d3887" /> <img width="549" height="290" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/9f54785c-d939-4a9e-960f-2da9004b1b10" /> 3. Backup this folder as a zip file. **Do not zip** the subfolder named with numbers like 466087313135374336. ### On your new PC 1. Enter the anonymous mode. By default, it will create a folder named data_beta.appflowy.cloud. 2. Exit the application. Remove all the data in the data_beta.appflowy.cloud folder, but do not delete this folder. 3. Copy all the files from the old data folder into the data_beta.appflowy.cloud folder. 4. Restart the application. You will see your old data recovered.

mirror commented

2026-03-23 21:33:23 +00:00

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@kaic-ss commented on GitHub (Jan 7, 2026):

It doesn't work.

When I perform the 3.rd step on new PC: Copy all the files from the old data folder into the data_beta.appflowy.cloud folder, and reopen the AppFlowy, it will automatically create another data directory 545094271145873408, instead of using my previous 466087313135374336, which means that I still cannot see the data I recorded before after opening AppFlowy.

And there's something I don't quite understand: what's the point of backing up this folder as a zip file on the old PC, since didn't use it on the new PC?

@kaic-ss commented on GitHub (Jan 7, 2026): It doesn't work. When I perform the 3.rd step on new PC: Copy all the files from the old data folder into the data_beta.appflowy.cloud folder, and reopen the AppFlowy, it will automatically create another data directory 545094271145873408, instead of using my previous 466087313135374336, which means that I still cannot see the data I recorded before after opening AppFlowy. And there's something I don't quite understand: what's the point of backing up this folder as a zip file on the old PC, since didn't use it on the new PC?