Vaults and folders
A vault is the thing that syncs. A folder is organisation inside it. Creating a folder is not a device-local action.
What a vault is
A vault is a container for notes, and it is the unit that syncs. When you sign in, each vault you own is available on that device. Every vault has its own access rules, so you can keep work and personal notes in separate vaults and grant an app or an AI agent access to one without the other.
Ewe Note starts you with one vault, called Notes. Most people never need a second one. Add another when you want a separate access boundary, not just a separate heading.
What a folder is
A folder groups notes inside a vault. Folders are stored in the vault itself, which means:
- A folder you create appears on your phone and your other computers, as soon as they sync.
- Renaming a folder renames it everywhere.
- Moving a note into a folder moves it everywhere. The note does not change vaults.
Folders can nest. A folder is a label on notes, not a separate store, so an empty folder costs nothing and deleting one does not delete its notes.
Folders are not device-local. There is no "this computer only" folder in Ewe Note. If you want notes that never leave one machine, stay signed out on that device, or put them in a secure vault whose key you only unlock there.
Which one should I make?
| You want to… | Make a… |
|---|---|
| Group notes by project, topic, or client | Folder |
| Give an app or agent access to one set of notes only | Vault |
| Keep something end-to-end encrypted | Secure vault |
| Mirror an Obsidian folder structure you already have | One vault, then open the folder and keep its structure |
Deleting
Deleting a folder leaves its notes in the vault; they simply stop being filed. A vault can only be deleted once it is empty and you are its admin, and deleting it removes it from your synced devices too. The vault the app set up for you cannot be deleted.
Next: Sync and your devices.