Where pictures in a note should live

Three ways to store attachments

Reading time about 4 minutesWritten 2026-10-08For: MaraExample with made-up data

Keep attachments in a storage service: the other person sees photos, text sync stays fast, and the price is 4 more build days than the server.

Keep in your head (only these)
  1. On the device only, the other person sees a grey box.
  2. On the sync server, one big photo can hold up text sync.
  3. A storage service costs 4 more build days and $6 less a month.

Three places, five criteria

Needs your ruling
Where a picture in a note could live
CriterionIn a storage serviceOn the sync serverOn the device only
What people get
Other person can see itYes, by a private linkYes, with the noteNo, a grey box
Text sync stays fastThe photo takes its own routeA big photo holds it upNothing to upload
Survives a lost phoneYes, kept in three placesYes, backed up nightlyNo, the photo goes too
What it costs us
Extra cost a month, a year on$6, pay as used$12, a bigger disk$0
Build time6 days2 days1 day

Take: the starred column has no red and one amber, which is 6 build days. The device-only column fails the two criteria that matter for sharing.

  1. Who can see the photoWhy device only is out.
  2. What a photo does to syncWhy the sync server loses to a storage service.
  3. What the extra build buysThe 6 days, and the money back.
  4. The pickMy recommendation and your ruling.

Chapter 1 of 4, about 1 minute

Which option lets the other person see a photo?

Before this: the grid compares three places for a picture on five criteria, and the starred one is my pick.

Today a picture stays on the phone that took it. In 2.4, Sam opens Mara's notebook on another phone, so the picture has to leave Mara's phone.

Device only
Lake trip Photo is on Mara's phone
Take from this: Sam sees a grey box.
Stored away
Lake trip Photo from Mara
Take from this: Sam sees the photo.

A lost phone breaks the same way. The photo goes with the phone, so device only fails two of the five criteria.

Remember: a picture kept on one phone shows the other person a grey box, so device only is out.

Chapter 2 of 4, about 1 minute

What does a photo do to text sync?

Before this: a picture kept on one phone shows the other person a grey box, so device only is out.

Two options are left. The difference shows on a weak signal. In my test, Mara adds a 4 MB photo and types one line of text straight after.

On the sync server, the photo and the text share one line, so the text arrives after 40 seconds. With a storage service, the text goes to the sync server and the photo goes to the storage service, so the text arrives after 2 seconds. Photo on the sync server Phonephoto, then text one line, so the text waits for the photo Sync servertext after 40 seconds Photo in a storage service Phonephoto and text the text goes at once the photo takes its own route Sync servertext after 2 seconds On the sync server, the photo and the text share one line, so the text arrives after 40 seconds. With a storage service, the text goes to the sync server and the photo goes to the storage service, so the text arrives after 2 seconds. Photo on the sync server Phonephoto, then text one line Sync servertext after 40 seconds Photo in a storage service Phonephoto and text text photo Sync servertext after2 seconds Storage servicekeeps thephoto
Take from this: on the sync server a photo and a line of text share one queue. A storage service gives the photo its own route.
Show how I measured it

I ran both set-ups on a throttled connection, about 150 kilobits a second, with the 4 MB photo and one line of text. I timed the text from typing to arriving on the web app. I ran it 10 times, and the slowest run is the one quoted.

Remember: on a weak signal a photo can hold up text sync for 40 seconds on the server, and for 2 in a storage service.

Chapter 3 of 4, about 1 minute

What does the extra build buy?

Before this: on a weak signal a photo can hold up text sync for 40 seconds on the server, and for 2 in a storage service.

A storage service is more work now and cheaper to run. We expect about 7,500 pictures a month, which is 90 GB in a year.

6 daysto build, against 2 for the server
$6a month to run it, a year on
$12a month for the server's disk

Take from this: 4 extra days now buy faster sync and a bill that is $6 a month smaller.

Show what the 6 days hold
  • Set up the storage account: 1 day.
  • Private links, so only the two people see a picture: 2 days.
  • Upload retries on a weak signal: 2 days.
  • Delete the picture when its note is deleted: 1 day.

Remember: a storage service takes 4 more build days and costs $6 a month less to run.

Chapter 4 of 4, about 1 minute

Which one do we pick?

Before this: a storage service takes 4 more build days and costs $6 a month less to run.

The storage service has the fewest ambers and no red. Device only is cheap, but it hides photos from the person you share with.

Where should attachments live?

Ted builds it either way. The price is days of build and the weeks after.

A storage service

  • The other person sees photos
  • Text sync stays fast
  • 6 build days

Cost: 4 more build days than the server.

The sync server

  • 2 build days
  • A big photo can hold up text sync
  • $12 a month

Cost: slower sync on a weak signal.

The device only

  • 1 build day, and $0
  • A grey box for the other person
  • A lost phone loses the photo

Cost: sharing without photos.

If you do nothing: pictures stay on the phone that took them, which is the device-only option.

Take from this: the choice is between 6 build days and a slower, pricier sync server. Device only fails the sharing test.

Show what would change my pick

If we expected under 10 GB of pictures a year, the sync server would build faster and cost almost nothing to run. At 90 GB a year, the disk bill and the sync delay both point the other way.

Remember: my pick is the storage service, and the ruling is yours.

Recap

  1. A picture kept on one phone shows the other person a grey box, so device only is out.
  2. On a weak signal a photo can hold up text sync for 40 seconds on the server, and for 2 in a storage service.
  3. A storage service takes 4 more build days and costs $6 a month less to run.
  4. My pick is the storage service, and the ruling is yours.

What I need from you

Where should attachments live in 2.4? Reply with one of these.

A storage serviceThe sync serverThe device onlyAsk me something first

If you do nothing: pictures stay on the phone that took them, and shared notebooks show a grey box.