Protect your digital library and years of annotations. Learn how to package your books, notes, flashcards, and reading statistics into a portable, encrypted .gempack archive.
Why Back Up with GemPacks?
Phones can be misplaced, damaged, or upgraded. Because GemReader operates under a strict local-first philosophy and does not upload your reading life to remote servers, your collections, highlights, and spaced repetition flashcards exist exclusively on your device.
To ensure your intellectual investment is never lost, GemReader provides GemPacks—single, self-contained backup archives (.gempack) that package your books, annotations, and reading progress together. With optional AES-256 encryption, your backup remains safe whether you store it on an external drive, memory card, or personal storage vault.
What You'll Need
Before creating your backup archive, verify that you have:
• **Platforms**: GemReader installed on Android or iOS. • **Storage**: Sufficient free storage space on your device or an attached USB drive to hold the backup file. • **Security**: A memorable password if you choose to encrypt the archive.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Open the **Library** screen in GemReader. 2. Tap the **⋮** menu in the top right corner of the header and select **Export GemPack** (or open an individual collection, tap **⋮**, and select **Backup Collection** to archive just one folder). 3. In the export dialog, choose whether to protect the archive with a password. For collections with personal journals, sensitive research, or private notes, password protection is strongly recommended. 4. If enabling password protection, enter a strong, memorable password and confirm it. 5. Tap **Create GemPack**. GemReader will assemble your book files, reading metrics, 6-color highlights, notes, and study decks into the archive. 6. When creation is complete, your system file manager will appear. Choose where to save your `.gempack` file—such as your Documents folder, an external SD card, or a USB flash drive.
Helpful Tips & Common Questions (Librarian's Advice)
• **What a GemPack Includes**: Each `.gempack` archive preserves your complete reading ecosystem: ebook files, covers, bookmarks, highlights, Markdown notes, reading velocities, and active FSRS-5 spaced repetition card intervals. • **Zero-Knowledge Password Safety**: Because GemReader has no central servers or user accounts, forgotten backup passwords cannot be reset. Store your backup password in a reliable password manager. • **Routine Archival**: We recommend creating a fresh GemPack at the end of each semester, project, or reading season to keep a permanent, timestamped snapshot of your personal library.
Try it yourself