# Reset local data on a device

> Clear this device's local copy and start fresh without losing your files or your account.

Source: https://notate.md/docs/troubleshooting/reset-local-data/

Category: Troubleshooting

Updated: 2026-08-16

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If the app on one device gets into a bad state, you can reset just that device's local data and start fresh. Your on-disk files and your account are left untouched.

## What it does

Open **Settings → Advanced → Reset local data**. This clears the local copy Notate keeps on this device (its index, cache, and local database). It does **not**:

- delete your markdown files on disk, or
- sign you out of your account.

## What happens next

- **With an account:** your notes re-sync from the server, so the device rebuilds a clean copy.
- **In Guest mode:** Notate re-reads your folders from disk, so your notes reappear as it re-indexes them.

## When to use it

Reset local data is a safe first step when a single device is misbehaving, for example if the sidebar looks wrong, notes seem stuck, or the app will not settle after an interrupted update. Because your files and account are the source of truth, rebuilding the local copy usually clears it up.

If instead a single folder shows as unavailable, you probably just need to point Notate back at it. See [Reconnect an unavailable folder](https://notate.md/docs/troubleshooting/root-unavailable/).