Where Does Joplin Store Notes?
Joplin profile folder and database.sqlite paths on Windows, macOS and Linux, and how sync targets differ from local storage.
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Joplin keeps notes in a database.sqlite file inside a joplin-desktop profile folder, with a resources sibling holding attachments. Unlike Obsidian there are no plain Markdown files to browse. The profile root is .config/joplin-desktop on every OS.
Sync targets like Dropbox or Joplin Cloud hold copies, but the local database is the working set. Back up the whole profile folder with Joplin closed. Export JEX archives periodically too, since raw SQLite copies are awkward to inspect without the app.
Where Joplin stores this, by platform
C:\Users\[Username]\.config\joplin-desktop\database.sqlite
Paste %userprofile%\.config\joplin-desktop into Explorer. Resources with attachments sit beside the database. Keep both together on every copy.
~/.config/joplin-desktop/database.sqlite
Same dotfolder layout as Linux, unusual for Mac apps. Use Go > Go to Folder in Finder. Terminal and mobile apps use separate profile folders.
~/.config/joplin-desktop/database.sqlite
The CLI client uses ~/.config/joplin instead, so desktop and terminal profiles stay apart. Copy only matching profile trees between machines.
Frequently asked questions
Can I read Joplin notes as Markdown files?
Not directly. Notes live as rows in database.sqlite. Use File > Export All > JEX inside Joplin for portable archives, or sync to a file system target that mirrors resources.
How do I move Joplin to a new computer?
Close Joplin on both ends, copy the full joplin-desktop profile folder to the same path, then open and sync. Confirm note counts and attachments before wiping the old machine.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.