Backups and Cloud Sync

Backups & Cloud Sync

Preferences → Backups keeps your saves and library safe — locally and, optionally, in the cloud.

Local backups

• Back up / restore the database — the library database holds your favorites and play history. Gameboxes are the source of truth (so the database is always rebuildable), but a quick snapshot is cheap insurance. A restore is staged and applied the next time EmuDOS starts, because the live database is in use while running.
• Back up all saves — bundle every game's saves, save states, and notes into a single archive you can keep anywhere.

GitHub cloud sync

Connect a GitHub account to sync your progress to your own private repo, so it follows you across PCs.

1. Connect to GitHub… — EmuDOS shows a code and opens github.com/login/device; enter the code and authorize. (This uses the device flow — no password is shared with the app.)
2. EmuDOS creates a private emudos-saves repo and syncs save states, notes, and the library database.
3. It syncs automatically at launch and whenever you press Sync now.

What syncs and what doesn't:

• Synced: save states, per-game notes, and the library database (all compressed; the footprint stays small).
• Not synced: screenshots and videos (kept local — they'd fill the cloud quota fast) and the installed games themselves.

For a game you installed from a CD image, install it on the second PC first, then your synced saves apply on top.

Encrypting your cloud saves (optional)

Set a passphrase under Encrypt cloud saves and EmuDOS encrypts your save data (AES-256-GCM) before it's uploaded, so only you can read it in the cloud — not even GitHub. Use the same passphrase on every PC, and set it before your first sync. Leave it blank for no encryption.