How to keep lots of Excalidraw diagrams without losing them
I use Excalidraw for almost everything: system design notes, interview prep, sketches for blog posts. And every few weeks I see someone post that they lost months of drawings. "Cleared my browser cache." "IT reset my work laptop." "Switched browsers and it's all gone." This post explains why that happens and the ways to keep your drawings safe, from free and manual to fully automatic. Why…
Excalidraw is a popular tool used for various purposes such as system design notes, interview preparation, and creating sketches for blog posts. However, users often face the issue of losing their drawings due to clearing browser cache, using private windows, or switching devices. To ensure that your Excalidraw diagrams are safe, there are several methods available, ranging from free and manual to fully automatic.
The first step is to save your drawings as files. This can be done manually through the Excalidraw menu by selecting "Save to..." and then choosing "Save to disk." This will create a .excalidraw file, which is essentially plain JSON containing everything in the drawing. You can later open this file again with Open or by dragging it onto the Excalidraw canvas.
Another option is to export your drawing as a PNG or SVG file with the "Embed scene" option turned on. This will create an image that contains the entire drawing, which can be dragged back onto Excalidraw to open as an editable scene.
Alternatively, you can use the Excalidraw extension for VS Code to edit .excalidraw files directly within the editor. This allows you to store your diagrams in a repository, where they will be versioned alongside your code. Each exported .excalidraw.svg or .excalidraw.png file is also an editable image. Additionally, the Obsidian notes app offers an Excalidraw plugin that stores drawings as files in your vault.
These drawings can be linked and embedded in notes, and syncing the vault ensures that your diagrams are backed up.
For users looking for a paid solution, Excalidraw+ provides cloud storage, multiple scenes within a workspace, and live collaboration features. This option is ideal for teams working together on drawings. Another option is Scenedraw, a free alternative that saves your drawings to your Google Drive. Scenedraw offers a similar experience to Excalidraw but with the added benefit of permanent storage in your Drive.
Changes are automatically saved to Drive, so you don't have to worry about losing your work even if you clear your browser storage.
Regardless of the method you choose, it is crucial to remember that relying solely on browser storage is not enough. Ensure that you have multiple copies of your drawings saved in various locations, such as files on your computer, synced vaults, or cloud storage. This will help prevent the loss of your valuable diagrams and ensure that you always have access to your work.
Written by urgent.news from Dev.to's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
