Where Does Wikipedia App Store Reading Lists?
Wikipedia app saved articles and reading lists on the account and offline.
Last updated
The official Wikipedia apps keep saved articles and reading lists on the Wikimedia account with per article offline downloads in app storage. History and search stay per device.
Logging in is what makes lists durable: anonymous saves live on one phone only. Offline articles open without signal once downloaded; the rest of the encyclopedia needs connectivity. Reinstalls restore lists on login while downloads refetch.
Where Wikipedia stores this, by platform
App-private storage (offline articles) plus account reading lists
Save articles into named lists on the Wikimedia account. Download per article for offline on Wi-Fi. Clearing app data drops downloads; lists return on sign in.
App sandbox (offline articles) plus account reading lists
Same model on iPhone and iPad with widgets and Share Sheet saving. Deleting the app clears offline copies only. Anonymous lists never leave the device.
Frequently asked questions
do Wikipedia reading lists sync across devices
Yes on the same Wikimedia account. Sign in on each device and lists merge. Anonymous saves stay local; log in before switching phones to carry them.
can I read Wikipedia offline in the app
Downloaded articles open fully offline including images fetched at save time. For whole offline encyclopedias use Kiwix ZIM files instead; the app covers articles, not dumps.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.