Back up and open a pattern on your other devices

What you are trying to accomplish

Choose whether to back up one editable PatternForge project, confirm that its exact current copy reached the cloud, and open it safely on another device.

Public Beta — available now: a verified signed-in account can choose Save on my other devices for an individual pattern. PatternForge does not automatically upload existing or newly created local patterns merely because you sign in.

Why it matters

PatternForge is local-first. Every editable pattern saves in browser storage on the device where you are working. Saved on this device confirms that local save; it does not by itself mean the pattern reached the cloud.

After you deliberately back up a pattern, PatternForge sends the editable project and its referenced project photos and instruction photos. Wait for On your other devices ✓ before relying on the cloud copy. Later edits to that backed-up pattern are queued and sent automatically, including after a temporary loss of connection.

Cloud backup is not live collaboration, automatic merging, export-file hosting, revision history, or a trash folder. Beta safety limits apply to the number and size of patterns and images; the current limits and usage appear under Cloud storage · Beta in your account. Keep important source photos and verified exports independently.

Step by step

1. Sign in to the verified account you want to own the cloud copy. Signed-out editing still works, but signed-out patterns remain on that device.
2. Finish the current edit and wait for Saved on this device.
3. Return to My Patterns, open that pattern's actions menu, and choose Save on my other devices. This choice applies to that pattern only; signing in does not upload every local pattern.
4. Keep PatternForge open while the first send begins. Sending to your other devices… means the cloud copy is not confirmed yet.
5. Wait for On your other devices ✓. That is the confirmation that this exact saved pattern is ready elsewhere. A queued, paused, blocked, or conflict message is not confirmation.
6. On the other device, sign in to the same account and open My Patterns. Find the pattern under On your other devices, then choose Open here. PatternForge makes a local working copy on that device before you edit.
7. After making changes, wait for both the local save and the cloud confirmation before switching devices again.
8. If you work offline, keep the tab and local pattern. PatternForge queues backed-up edits and tries again after reconnecting; do not assume another device has the edit until the confirmation returns.
9. If PatternForge says the pattern changed on two devices, stop and choose which copy to use or keep both. It never silently guesses which edits to erase.
10. Deleting a backed-up pattern confirms that it will be removed from this device and your other devices. There is no user-facing trash or revision history. Short safety retention can also mean deleted bytes do not immediately disappear from the storage meter.

Earlier protocol-v1 beta records remain separate. If Previous cloud copies appears, recovering one creates a new device-local pattern without the photo files that older system did not store and retires its size proof until you check the scale again.

What success looks like

• The local editor first reports Saved on this device.
• The backed-up pattern then reports On your other devices ✓.
• The same account can see the pattern under On your other devices and use Open here.
• The reopened pattern has the expected name, pieces, photos, details, instructions, true-size state, and next step.
• No paused, blocked, quota, or conflict warning remains unresolved.
• You still keep important source files and verified exports somewhere you control.

Common problems and recovery

Save on my other devices is missing

Confirm that you are signed in to a verified account. Signing in does not upload local patterns automatically. If cloud writes are temporarily paused, continue working locally and try again after the app reports that cloud backup is available.

The pattern is missing on another device

On the first device, check whether the pattern says On your other devices ✓. If it does not, keep that device online and resolve any paused, blocked, storage, or conflict message. If it does, confirm the second device uses the same account, refresh My Patterns, and look under On your other devices.

The pattern says it will send when you are online

Your local edit is safe, but the other device does not have a confirmed current copy yet. Reconnect, leave PatternForge open, and wait for On your other devices ✓.

Cloud storage or a Beta safety limit is full

The local pattern remains available. Read the exact limit message and Cloud storage · Beta meter. Remove an unneeded cloud-backed pattern or large synced image only after preserving anything important, then choose Try cloud backup again. Deleted recovery bytes can take time to leave the meter.

The pattern changed on two devices

Use the conflict choices instead of continuing on both devices. Keep both copies is the safest choice when you are unsure. PatternForge preserves the alternatives until you choose; it does not merge simultaneous edits automatically.

A source photo is missing after opening elsewhere

Do not edit or export an incomplete pattern. Let the original device finish sending, then try Open here again. If the source must be replaced, independently check true size again before relying on the pattern.

Previous cloud copies appears

That section belongs to PatternForge's earlier cloud system. Its recovery is intentionally separate from current cloud backup: it creates a local copy, does not include old photo files, and requires a fresh true-size check.

Quick safety check

Before leaving a device or clearing its browser data, confirm:

• Saved on this device appeared for the latest edit.
• On your other devices ✓ appeared for any pattern you expect to open elsewhere.
• The other device uses the same verified account.
• No cloud warning or unresolved two-device conflict remains.
• Important original photos and verified outputs also exist in storage you control.

Related tools and next step

Read projects, saving, and resuming for the local-first save flow and downloads and file licences for keeping safe outputs. For the separate capture-set workflow, follow capture a clear pattern photo.